All You Need To Know About Animal Models of Wet Age-Related Macular Degeneration
November 21, 2024 /Age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a leading cause of vision loss in older adults, casts a long shadow over millions of lives worldwide. Wet AMD, a subtype characterized by abnormal blood vessel growth beneath the retina, presents a particularly treacherous threat, stealing central vision with chilling swiftness. While treatments exist, they require frequent injections and don't address the root cause of the disease. Apart from antibody drugs with intravitreal injection already in the market, other modalities and dosing routes are increasingly being tested in preclinical and clinical stage to replace or supplement current treatment. This new trend requires careful selection and [...]
Acute And Chronic Myopia Models
November 21, 2024 /Myopia, also known as short-sightedness or near vision impairment, is a common vision problem that typically begins in childhood and occurs when the eyes can focus clearly on nearby objects but are unable to focus on distant objects. This condition is usually caused by elongated eyeball or excessive corneal curvature, which causes incoming light to focus in front of the retina. The main causes of myopia include genetics, environmental factors such as prolonged near-point work and insufficient outdoor activity, and poor eye habits. (DOI: 10.1038/s41572-020-00231-4) Myopia is a global public health threat, especially in urban areas of East and Southeast [...]
NHP Models vs. Murine Models
December 15, 2023 /In pharmacological investigation, model selection serves as a critical determinant, which can steer the course of scientific inquiry. This blog post serves as a comparative examination between Non-Human Primate (NHP) and Murine models. Table of Contents Non-Human Primate Models Murine Models Comparative Analysis Considerations for Model Selection Recent Advancements and Alternatives Future Prospects Conclusion Additional Resources I. Non-Human Primate Models Genetic and Physiological Proximity NHP models, such as rhesus macaques and cynomolgus monkeys, share approximately 95-98% of their genetic makeup with humans[1]. This genetic similarity is particularly advantageous in pharmacological research because NHPs metabolize drugs similarly to humans. [...]
Humanized Mouse Models: An Overview
August 29, 2023 /What are humanized mouse models? Humanized mouse models are created by implanting human genes, cells, tissues, or organs into a mouse (Allen et al., 2019; Chen et al., 2022). They aim to recreate parts or the whole of the human immune system in a murine host, thereby providing an in vivo preclinical model to investigate human immune conditions and diseases (e.g. HIV) or to test the safety of drugs that target human-specific immunoreceptors. In addition, humanized models are widely used to study the mechanisms of and potential treatments for different types of cancer, including novel immune-modulating anticancer drugs (Chuprin et [...]
DSS Colitis and TNBS Colitis Models: An Overview
August 14, 2023 /Inflammatory Bowel disease (IBD) is a multifaceted and polygenic disorder that is characterized by persistent inflammation in the GI tract. It encompasses two primary phenotypes (Ulcerative Colitis and Crohn’s disease). Attaining a comprehensive insight into the intricate mechanisms and the pathogenesis of IBD is of paramount importance for the development of efficacious therapeutic interventions. In this context, animal models have emerged as indispensable tools, playing a major role in both the advancement of and the understanding of IBD. The establishment of both robust and reliable animal models has made significant contributions to giving us a better insight into the complexities [...]
Syngeneic vs. Xenograft Cancer Models: Overview, Key Differences, and When To Use Each
August 07, 2023 /Scientists have been investigating cancer for well over 100 years, with the first animal model of cancer being a squamous cell carcinoma induced on the ears of rabbits using coal tar.1,2 Since that time, many thousands of animal models of cancer have been developed, but they largely fall into one of two baskets: syngeneic models and xenograft models. Both types of models have been used by researchers for over 50 years.3,4 Understanding the differences between these models, the variations within each type of model, and how to select the most appropriate model is key to designing a successful study - [...]