Patent ID: 8704037

Claim:
A method of screening for a biologically active agent that modulates a phenomenon associated with a demyelination or blood brain barrier disorder comprising: a) administering a candidate agent to a non-human transgenic animal, wherein said phenomenon occurs in said animal upon expression of a nucleic acid sequence encoding a cell death mediator protein (CDMP); wherein said nucleic acid sequence expression is regulated by a cell-specific expression regulatory element; b) activating said CDMP to effect apoptosis in at least one cell in said animal, wherein said cell is associated with a demyelination blood brain barrier disorder; and, c) detecting an effect of said agent upon said phenomenon, wherein said CDMP is selected from the group consisting of caspase 2, caspase 5, caspase 8, caspase 9, caspase 10, and caspase 11.