RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Use of Animal Models in the Study of Diabetes Mellitus
JF In Vivo
JO In Vivo
FD International Institute of Anticancer Research
SP 245
OP 258
VO 23
IS 2
A1 ANTONIOS CHATZIGEORGIOU
A1 ANTONIOS HALAPAS
A1 KONSTANTINOS KALAFATAKIS
A1 ELLI KAMPER
YR 2009
UL http://iv.iiarjournals.org/content/23/2/245.abstract
AB Animal models have enormously contributed to the study of diabetes mellitus, a metabolic disease with abnormal glucose homeostasis, due to some defect in the secretion or the action of insulin. They give researchers the opportunity to control in vivo the genetic and environmental factors that may influence the development of the disease and establishment of its complications, and thus gain new information about its handling and treatment in humans. Most experiments are carried out on rodents, even though other species with human-like biological characteristics are also used. Animal models develop diabetes either spontaneously or by using chemical, surgical, genetic or other techniques, and depict many clinical features or related phenotypes of the disease. In this review, an overview of the most commonly used animal models of diabetes are provided, highlighting the advantages and limitations of each model, and discussing their usefulness and contribution in the field of diabetes research.