ANIMAL MODEL, CELLS, AND TREATMENT FOR MALIGNANT MELANOMA

摘要

The present invention provides transgenic non-human animal models and cell lines which express a metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 in a melanocyte-specific manner and, as a result, exhibit a predisposition to the development of melanoma. The invention further teaches methods of using the transgenic animals and cell lines to identify therapeutic agents. Diagnostic methods for detecting a melanoma are also provided.