Table 1.

Genetically engineered mice with useful RBC antigens

Mouse line	Tissue distribution	Characteristics	Reference
Duffy (Fy^b)-transgenic	All cells	Used to model alloimmunization. Mice initially form IgM, and then IgG, anti-Fy^b antibodies. Mice produce anti-Fy^b, -Fy3 and -Fy6 antibodies.	[55]
Human glycophorin A (hGPA)-transgenic	RBCs only	Many monoclonal anti-hGPA antibodies available. Incompatible transfusion produces haemolytic transfusion reactions in mice accompanied by cytokine storm.	[19],[52],[53],[54]
Hen egg lysozyme (HEL)-transgenic	All cells	Mice passively immunized with anti-HEL followed by transfusion with HEL-RBCs induced HEL-specific antigen loss. HEL-specific T-cell receptor-transgenic mice enhance alloimmunization to transfused HEL-RBCs. Alloimmunization to HEL-RBCs requires a spleen and is augmented by certain types of inflammation.	[17],[22],[57],[127]
HEL-Ovalbumin-Duffy (HOD)-transgenic	RBCs only	Immunologically useful model due to presence of a well-characterized combination of antigens with specific immunological tools, such as HEL- and ovalbumin-specificT-cell receptor- and HEL-specific B cell receptor-transgenic mice. Refrigerator-stored leukoreduced HOD RBCs are more immunogenic than fresh leukoreduced RBCs.	[128],[59]
H-transferase- transgenic	All cells	Results in decreased expression of the α-Gal xenoantigen and increased expression of the normally cryptic sialylated Tn and Forssman antigens. Can be used to develop model of Bombay O RBCs.	[60]
Duffy antigen/receptor for chemokines (DARC) knockout	All cells	DARC is required for Plasmodium vivax infection of RBCs. Serves as chemokine sink. LPS challenge produces increased inflammation. Can be used to develop a haemolytic transfusion reaction model with the KO mice as recipients of incompatible transfusions from wild-type donors. The reactions in these mice may be more severe when compared to those in wild-type mice.	[62]
alpha 1, 3galactosyltransferase (α-Gal) knockout	All cells	Lack of α-Gal expression, which is universally expressed in mice. Can be used to develop a carbohydrate antigen-based haemolytic transfusion reaction model, with the K0 as recipients of incompatible transfusions from wild-type donors.	[61]
Green fluorescent protein (GFP)-transgenic	All cells	Used to develop a mouse blood bank model of RBC storage. Useful for performing RBC survival studies without the need to label or wash RBCs pretransfusion.	[129],[20]