Book excerpt: This comprehensive book covers all aspects of the field of genetically engineered laboratory mice, including the creation of mutant mice through mouse models for developmental biology and the monitoring of laboratory mouse colonies. Written by leading biomedical investigators, pathologists, and clinicians, this book presents systematic approaches for analyzing mutant laboratory mice for specific medical applications. It provides a variety of methods for creating mutant mice, while covering legal aspects of mutant and inbred laboratory mice as well as the use and maintenance of international databases.