mouse strain NOD.Cg-Rag1{tm1Mom}Ins2{Akita}Il2rg{tm1Wjl}/SzJ mouse strain A mouse strain in which the targeted gene, insulin II (NCBI Gene ID: 16334), has been modified (allele type: Other) to Akita (MGI ID: Ins2{Akita}). NRG-Akita mice, which are homozygous for the Rag1tm1Mom and the Il2rgtm1Wjl alleles (males are hemizygous for the X-linked Il2rgtm1Wjl allele) and heterozygous for the Ins2Akita allele, develop spontaneous hyperglycermia. No mature T, B or NK cells are detected in flow cytometric analysis of splenocytes from NRG-Akita mutant mice. Granulocyte and macrophage populations are similar to those seen in NRG mice. NRG-Akita mice develop hyperglycemia between 3 and 5 weeks of age. Histological examination at 3 weeks of age reveals normal pancreas morphology, and routine insulin and glucagon staining. By approximately 32 weeks of age, NRG-Akita mice display disorganized, condensed pancreatic islet architecture, with loss of insulin-positive cells. Euglycemia is restored by subrenal transplantation of mouse or human islets or intrapancreatic transplantation of dissociated mouse islet cells. NRG-Akita mice engrafted with human hematopoietic stem cells (HSC) develop humanized immune systems. Approximately 60% of the human HSC engrafted NRG-Akita mice reject human islet allografts. NOD.Cg-Rag1{tm1Mom}Ins2{Akita}Il2rg{tm1Wjl}/SzJ Person: Mark A. Magnuson, Jill Lindner, Jean-Philippe Cartailler Vanderbilt University Medical Center