The Use Of Animals In Endocrine Research: A Synopsis

Abstract

Throughout history, researchers have been solving medical and other challenging problems, developing newtechniques and treatment modalities largely by conducting animal experimentation. The field of endocrinologyis not an exception; animal models have enormously contributed to this important area of medical science. Onemajor challenge in the field of endocrinology is diabetes mellitus. Diabetes mellitus is a major public healthconcern. Its prevalence has continued to rise exponentially and it remains a crippling global problem. The searchfor agents and modalities with novel properties to deal with this pandemic is a continuum. Appropriateexperimental models are therefore essential tools for understanding the pathogenesis, complications and geneticor environmental influences that increase the risks of diabetes and testing of various potential treatmentmodalities. The animal models of diabetes can be obtained spontaneously, induced by chemicals or diet, surgicalmanipulations and by genetic engineering. In this review, an overview of the most commonly used animal modelsof diabetes mellitus is provided. The quinine-animal model for the study of male reproductive endocrinology andsome potential models for the investigations of thyroid diseases are also presented.

Keywords: Animal models, Endocrinology, Diabetes mellitus, Thyroid, Quinine.