Animal Models: Allelic Determinants for BMD

System level genes or physiological adaptation?

“…A recurring theme of work in rodents, which has been more extensive and detailed than in any other system, is that many genetic loci appear to affect multiple bone traits, not just one [2]. Understanding this phenomenon, known as pleiotropy, is one of the outstanding challenges of quantitative trait genetics, and exists in many domains outside of bone biology.…”