A breakthrough in CRISPR technology is now allowing scientists to conduct extensive gene screenings directly within the living brains of mice, potentially accelerating research into neurological disorders and brain function. The advancement, detailed in findings released September 24, 2025, offers a considerably more precise method for manipulating genes *in vivo* compared to previous techniques.This new platform addresses a critical bottleneck in neuroscience: the difficulty of studying gene function within the complex habitat of a functioning brain. Conventional gene editing methods often lacked the specificity needed for large-scale screenings, and frequently relied on *ex vivo* studies-removing tissue for analysis-which may not accurately reflect real-time brain processes. The ability to systematically alter genes and observe the resulting effects in a living animal model promises to unlock new insights into conditions like Alzheimer’s disease,Parkinson’s disease,and schizophrenia,and could expedite the development of targeted therapies. researchers anticipate this technology will become a cornerstone for understanding the genetic basis of brain diseases and identifying potential drug targets.The platform’s enhanced precision minimizes off-target effects-unintended edits to the genome-a common concern with earlier CRISPR systems. This improved accuracy is crucial for reliable results in large-scale screenings, where even a small percentage of errors can skew data.Scientists can now investigate the roles of numerous genes simultaneously, providing a more complete understanding of their interactions and contributions to brain health and disease.
Citation: A more precise CRISPR platform enables large-scale gene screening in live mouse brains (2025, September 24) retrieved 24 September 2025 from https://medicalxpress.com/news/2025-09-precise-crispr-platform-enables-large.html
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