Some people have said that a computer could replace animals that are used for research and to discover cures for various diseases. It has also been said that computer modeling can be utilized to develop new drugs. All of this is true, but nothing has been found that can replace the intricate workings of a live animal. However, by law, replacements must be used whenever possible. The Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee of each research institute ensures that the scientist have carefully considered and will utilize any method of replacement that is available.
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Many types of animals are used for scientific research. Researchers study the animals to learn how living things’ systems operate and how any disease affects the animal’s body. The biological processes across different organisms are very similar. This allows researchers to learn about the biological process by examining simple organisms. The top five animals that are used for research are mice, rats, guinea pigs, rabbits and hamsters.
Mice, along with rats, are the most common animal used for research. Both have biological systems that are similar to humans. They are susceptible to diseases such high blood pressure or cancer. They can develop diseases at a quick rate such as days or weeks instead of months or years. A mouse’s genetic makeup can be changed so that they have certain genes that carry specific diseases. Mice have been utilized to develop a treatment for prostate cancer, a potential new drug to treat Type 2 diabetes and the development of a vaccine against genital herpes.
The next most common animal used for research is rats. The rat is very similar to the mouse in its physical makeup. Its biological system is also similar to that of a human being. This animal can be utilized to study the biology of transplants and tissue rejection. Studying how the body of a rat reacts to bone marrow, kidney, heart, skin or pancreas transplants assists scientists and medical doctors in performing successful transplants in human beings.
The third most common animal utilized in research is the guinea pig. The guinea pig is usually bred specifically for research. It is usually used for testing toxicity levels and safety tests. The guinea pig is also used to examine the effects of drugs, alcohol and cigarette smoke. The animals have been used to develop an experimental drug that could be employed to restore the role of nerves that operate in the spinal cord that were damaged. Guinea pigs are also instrumental in the progress of a cure for tinnitus.
The fourth most common animal used for research is the rabbit. Rabbits are used for fertility research, research about the female womb and stem cell research. The utilization of rabbits has allowed researchers to figure out how to transplant a womb and maintain the blood supply so that it will last through an entire pregnancy. The rabbit has also allowed researchers the opportunity for stem cell research that build new blood vessels in the leg as a treatment for peripheral arterial disease.
The fifth and final most common animal used for research is the hamster. Hamsters are usually used to examine the sensory systems. This includes vision and taste. They are also utilized as models neoplastic, inflammatory and cardiopulmonary diseases. Muscular dystrophy, aging and asthma as well as various aspects of artificial and natural biorhythms utilize the hamster a model for research.
All of these animals have an important role in the world of research. Each animal serves a purpose. Not one of these creatures is insignificant. They live in order to better the lives of their human counterparts by assisting in the development of drugs and cures to treat many of the ailments that are plaguing the world today.
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Kirk Strauss is a biologist with over 5 years working in scientific labs.
