A simplified method for creating a cell cycle ontology for the laboratory mouse

The cell cycle is an essential, highly conserved, complex process. Understanding the cell cycle is important in understanding development, aging, and the progression of many diseases including cancer. Mouse Genome Informatics (MGI) is the international database resource for the laboratory mouse, providing genetic, genomic, and biological data to facilitate the study of the mouse as a model for human health and disease. We have recently developed a mouse cell cycle ontology as a novel approach to data integration for the diverse data on the laboratory mouse that is available at MGI.