ABSTRACT
To date, avian retroviruses remain the only method for transferring foreign genes into the avian germline. In this report, our results using avian leukosis retroviruses as vectors to transfer and express foreign gene constructs in chicken somatic and germ cells are summarized. In addition, the characteristics of two interesting transgenic chicken lines with desirable disease-resistance properties are discussed. Our attempt to develop Japanese quail as a transgenic animal model for poultry is also summarized.
