Genetically modified animals, especially rodents, are widely used in biomedical research. However, non-rodent models are required for efficient translational
medicine and preclinical studies. Owing to the similarity in the physiological traits of pigs and humans, genetically modified pigs may be a valuable resource
for biomedical research. Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT) using genetically modified somatic cells has been the primary method for the generation of
genetically modified pigs. However, site-specific gene modification in porcine cells is inefficient and requires laborious and time-consuming processes. Recent
improvements in gene-editing systems, such as zinc finger nucleases, transcription activator-like effector nucleases, and the clustered regularly interspaced
short palindromic repeats (CRISPR)/CRISPR-associated protein (CRISPR/Cas) system, represent major advances. The efficient introduction of site-specific
modifications into cells via gene editors dramatically reduces the effort and time required to generate genetically modified pigs. Furthermore, gene editors
enable direct gene modification during embryogenesis, bypassing the SCNT procedure. The application of gene editors has progressively expanded, and a range of
strategies is now available for porcine gene engineering. This review provides an overview of approaches for the generation of genetically modified pigs using
gene editors, and highlights the current trends, as well as the limitations, of gene editing in pigs.