Despite what our name might imply, the Rat Genome Database contains much more than just genomic and genetic data for the rat.  RGD is also an excellent source of information about rat strains and their associated physiology, phenotypes and diseases.  The RGD Phenotypes and Models portal in particular is a rich resource of information on topics including animal husbandry, the normal physiological measurements for a variety of rat strains, and identifying what rat strains are good models for certain human diseases.  This video will help you navigate through the various sections of the portal so you can easily access the information that you need.

This video will show you:

• How to access the RGD Phenotypes and Models portal
• What the four sections of the portal are and what kinds of data each contains
• How to find detailed protocols for phenotyping rats
• How to conduct a rat strain search and what results you will obtain
• How to access the RGD strain availability page
• How to determine what strains are considered good models for some human diseases
• What kinds of helpful information you can find regarding animal husbandry
• What kinds of searches you can do using the PhenoMiner data mining tool
• What a strain medical record is and how to access SMR’s for some commonly used strains
• What the PhysGen Knockout program is, what data can be found on the PhysGen Knockout page and how to nominate a gene involved in hypertension and/or renal disease for knockout strain development

To explore the RGD Phenotypes and Models Portal, click here.

To view or download a PDF copy of the script of this video, including links to the web pages mentioned, click here.

Click here to return to the RGD Tool and Website Tutorials page.