genetic nomenclature can be confusing at first, and is often considered to be unimportant by investigators. However, there are many sources of help and support, discussed above, and the effort needed to become fluent in the language of strains and mutants is much less than the potential effort needed to rescue badly planned experiments or recoup the costs involved in using the wrong mice. It is also essential for the replication of experiments, both yours and those whose resources you intend to use, and the sharing of your data. We hope that this commentary lays out clearly why an appreciation and functional knowledge of nomenclature is not only helpful but essential for those using mice as a model system.
Acknowledgments
This work was supported in parts by grants from the National Institutes of Health (R01 CA089713 and HG000330).
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