The rat is the most widely used animal species in surgical research and offers distinct advantages over the
mouse in transplantation models due to its size and close genetic similarity to humans. Sequencing of the rat
genome and successful application of transgenic technologies which had only been available for mice have
since led to a resurgence of the use of rat models.
Transplantation provides the possibility to deliver transgenes through a variety of routes which can
potentially offer treatment modalities for post-transplant dysfunction and rejection. Moreover, the use of
genetically encoded fluorescent light probes has enabled in vivo visualization of organs and tissue in living
animals. In recent years, generation of gene knockout rats via the zinc-finger nuclease (ZFN) and transcription
activator-like effector nuclease (TALEN) technologies has offered alternatives to the sophisticated embryonic
stem cell based gene-targeting. In this review, we aim to provide an overview of transplantation studies
involving transgenic techniques using rat models and recent advances in methods to modify the rat genome.
Through novel gene modification techniques, precise, complete and conditional knockout and knockin rat
models have become available which can provide promising new treatment options and opportunities for
studying human transplant-related pathophysiology.