Editing Laboratory mouse (section)

{{Short description|Mouse used for scientific research}}
[[File:Vector diagram of laboratory mouse (black and white).svg|250px|alt=Line drawing of a laboratory mouse|thumb|The [[Albinism in biology|albino]] laboratory mouse is an iconic model organism for scientific research in a variety of fields]]
[[File:Scid mouse.jpg|thumb|250px|An [[Severe combined immunodeficiency (non-human)|SCID]]|alt=Albino [[Severe combined immunodeficiency (non-human)|SCID]]]]
[[File:Lab mouse mg 3244.jpg|thumb|250px|Intermediate coat colour|alt=With intermediate coat colour]]
[[File:Pet lab mouse in the grass.jpg|thumb|Kept as a pet|alt=Kept as a pet standing on a patch of grass]]
The '''laboratory mouse''' or '''lab mouse''' is a small [[mammal]] of the order [[Rodent]]ia which is bred and used for [[scientific research]] or [[live food|feeders]] for certain pets. [[Mice]] used in [[laboratories]] are usually of the species ''[[House mouse|Mus musculus]]''.  They are the most commonly used mammalian [[model organism|research model]] and are used for research in [[genetics]], [[physiology]], [[psychology]], [[medicine]] and other [[scientific discipline]]s.  Mice belong to the [[Euarchontoglires]] clade, which includes [[human]]s. This close relationship, the associated high [[homology (biology)|homology]] with humans, their ease of maintenance and handling, and their high reproduction rate, make mice particularly suitable models for human-oriented research. The laboratory mouse genome has been sequenced and many mouse genes have human homologues.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.informatics.jax.org/greenbook/frames/frame11.shtml |title=MGI — Biology of the Laboratory Mouse |publisher=Informatics.jax.org |access-date=29 July 2010}}</ref> Lab mice are sold at [[pet store]]s for [[snake]] [[food]] and can also be kept as [[pet]]s.

Other mouse species sometimes used in laboratory research include two American species, the [[white-footed mouse]] (''Peromyscus leucopus'') and the eastern deer mouse (''[[Peromyscus maniculatus]]'').