Patent ID: 7667088

Claim:
An assay for identifying a mouse or rat with the ability to produce autoantibodies directed to an autoimmune disease protein antigen, said assay comprising: identifying a donor mouse or rat which is deficient in the production of the autoimmune disease protein antigen; harvesting immune cells from the identified donor mouse or rat; transplanting the harvested immune cells into a recipient mouse or rat respectively, wherein the recipient mouse or rat is immunodeficient or has the same genetic background as the donor mouse or rat, and is not deficient in the production of the autoimmune disease protein antigen; obtaining a biological sample from the recipient mouse or rat; assaying the biological sample from the recipient mouse or rat for production of autoantibodies directed to the autoimmune disease protein antigen; and identifying a recipient mouse or rat which produces autoantibodies directed to the autoimmune disease protein antigen based on said assaying.