# Fifteen years of the Diversity Outbred mouse model: a review

## TL;DR

This paper reviews the 15-year history of Diversity Outbred mice, a genetic model used to study complex traits and gene mapping in a genetically diverse population.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive catalog of DO mouse studies and resources over 15 years, highlighting their use in genetic and phenotypic research.

## Key findings

- DO mice enable high-resolution genetic mapping due to their genetic diversity and recombination events.
- They have been used to study traits like blood lipids, behavior, and gene expression across tissues.
- The paper compiles mapping and non-mapping studies along with relevant software and resources.

## Abstract

Mouse models have played a critical role in complementing human genetics research due to their genetic similarity to humans and well-annotated and tractable genome. For over 15 years, the Diversity Outbred (DO) mice have existed as a powerful tool for mapping complex traits. With eight founder strains contributing to high levels of genetic diversity, heterozygosity, and large numbers of recombination events, DO mice allow for high-resolution genetic mapping. DO mice have been used to dissect the genetic architecture of physiological traits like blood lipids, behavioral traits such as cocaine self-administration, and molecular phenotypes such as gene expression across various tissues. Here we aim to exhaustively catalog DO mouse studies over the last 15 years, including both mapping and non-mapping studies, as well as to provide an overview of software tools and online resources related to the model.

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s00335-026-10196-6.