Ten Years of the Collaborative Cross

The February 2012 issues of GENETICS and G3: Genes, Genomes, Genetics present a collection of articles reporting recent advances from the international Collaborative Cross (CC) project. The goal of the CC project is to develop a new resource that will enhance quantitative trait locus (QTL) and systems genetic analyses in mice. The CC consists of hundreds of independently bred, octo-parental recombinant inbred lines (Figure 1). The work reported in these issues represents progress toward completion of the CC, proof-of-principle experiments using incipient inbred CC mice, and new research areas and complementary resources facilitated by the CC project.