Applications and advances of CRISPR/CAS9, a versatile tool for genome editing in animal models

The clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) /CRISPR-associated 9 (Cas9) system, as the third generation of artificial nuclease technique, has promoted a revolution in the generation of laboratory animal models. CRISPR/Cas9 is an RNA-guided and target-specific endonuclease system, which is widely used in the gene modification of many kinds of laboratory animals, such as zebrafish, mice and rats, because of characteristics of high efficiency, low costs and simplicity of operation. In this chapter, we describe the applications and advances of CRISPR/Cas9 system in the construction of knock-out and knock-in animal models, especially focusing on the animal models for diseases. This chapter may provide some approaches to understand the gene functions and regulations in vivo via using CRISPR/Cas9 technology. Finally, the future perspective of CRISPR/Cas9 is also highlighted in the construction of laboratory animal models.