Rat Models to Study Stem Cells

The rat (Rattus norvegicus) is a widely used animal model. An animal model refers to a nonhuman animal used in the study of human diseases in order to gain a better understanding of the disease process without harming human beings. Animal disease-modeling allows for the study of biological mechanisms underlying disease and offer the opportunity to perform preclinical trials of new therapies. The use of animal models has played an important role in the development of drugs, treatments, and cures of countless human diseases. Although mice have been the most commonly used human disease model for many decades, the rat offers several advantages over the mouse and other organisms. Rats are more similar to humans in terms of physiological composition, cellular regulatory mechanisms, and intelligence ...