Comparative genomic mapping is a comparative analysis of the chromosomal organization of genetic information. Making use of the biodiversity, it aims at understanding the biological structures, their functioning but also at inferring their evolution. The current popularity of this approach raised from another processes resulting from the peculiar structure of our current knowledge about genomes. Current cost of experimental analysis of genomes are still high, thus the information available is mostly concentrated on "model" organisms (as human or mouse for mammals). Inferring information relative to species of medical or economical interest from the analysis of model organisms is thus a promising processes. So is comparative genomic mapping. It should be also noticed that genome comparisons may be more complex and may benefit the experimental potential of some species. Although human is one of the most studied organism, comparative mapping is widely used to bridge the genomic information from human and the genetic knowledge from other species, in peculiar the ones for which genetic observations and experimentations are possible.

This paper (in French) is available on the Médecine/Science web site.