Neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease (AD), share a common pathogenic feature where there is an accumulation of brain protein aggregates. In AD, tau accumulation is a key indicator of disease progression, with some characteristics of these protein aggregates resembling those seen in prion diseases. Rapid analysis of processes like tau protein trafficking is essential for studying

COVID-19 became a global pandemic in 2020. SARS-CoV-2, although of respiratory origin, can affect many other organ systems. Patients with severe COVID-19 have commonly reported acute kidney injury. Recent studies have reported decreased concentrations of megalin, a protein involved in vitamin D metabolism in the kidney, in patients with COVID-19. However, the relationship between megalin, vitamin D

Cis-regulatory elements (CREs) are non-coding DNA sequences that regulate the transcription of nearby genes by binding to transcription factors. CREs, critical for coordinating gene expression programs that drive cell-specific differentiation, hold great potential for the development of gene therapies that require tissue specificity. A study in Nature reports the development of a new method to design

Dealing with stressful situations is a universal experience. While most individuals are able to adapt to stress, some will develop stress-related disorders. The mechanisms that underlie resilience and adaptive capacity to stress remain largely unknown. Understanding these mechanisms could improve therapies and preventive strategies for stress-related conditions. While animal models exhibit similar

Incretins are gut peptides that are secreted by enteroendocrine cells (EECs) in response to food to stimulate a decrease in blood glucose levels. In mammals, incretins such as glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide (GIP) stimulate the secretion of insulin by acting on pancreatic β-cells. EECs in the Drosophila gut also produce incretins, including neuropeptide

Following surgery, patients often experience a cognitive impairment known as postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD). POCD is associated with residual levels of anesthetic drugs, critical illnesses, and major, secondary, or complication-occurring surgery. An increase in glutamate after surgery and the inhibition of NMDA and AMPA receptors are involved in the disruption of the inflammatory cascade

Microinjection is the most frequently used tool for genetic manipulation of the nematode Caenorhabditis elegans. However, transgenic C. elegans are usually generated by manual injection by a human operator under a microscope, which can be time-consuming. In Nature Communications, Pan et al. report a new automated robotic system for C. elegans microinjection, which shows great potential for high-throughput

Antineoplastic drugs are critical for cancer treatment, but their lack of specificity can kill not only cancer cells but also healthy cells. Another challenge for cancer treatment is the development of drug resistance, making drugs ineffective. A study in Scientific Reports shows the development of a smart drug delivery system using nanotechnology that can specifically deliver antineoplastic drugs

Microglia, the resident immune cells of the central nervous system (CNS), have an important role in the maintenance and protection of the CNS. Microglia exist in various states depending on their environment and pathological conditions, ranging from activating to a potent inflammatory state to that of an inflammation-resolving state. Although advances in single-cell sequencing technologies have deepened

Aging is often accompanied by chronic, low-grade inflammation, termed inflammaging. Recent evidence suggests that the cGAS/STING signaling pathway, which mediates immune sensing of DNA, is a critical driver of senescence and inflammaging. However, the role of this pathway in aging is still far from being understood. In a recent preprint (not peer-reviewed), Ballhysa et al. investigated the role of

Preclinical mouse models are extensively used in biomedical research to gain insight into disease mechanisms and to test new drug treatments. Glucose and insulin tolerance tests are simple experimental tests frequently used worldwide to assess glucose metabolism in mice. Various guidelines and methodological considerations have been published to help researchers standardize procedures and optimize

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked disease caused by mutations in the DMD gene resulting in the loss of the protein dystrophin. Although animal models, such as the MDX mouse and the golden retriever muscular dystrophy dog, have helped further understand DMD pathogenesis and guided treatment development, they do not fully recapitulate human disease. In Cell, Ren and colleagues describe

Chronically stressed adolescent and adult humans often overeat, leading to an increase in body weight and obesity. Studies in this field often use golden hamsters because they exhibit weight gain under stress similar to humans. In food hoarding tasks, stressed adolescent hamsters collect 50% more food than control animals in the same amount of time, but the motivational differences are still unknown

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a condition that accounts for 12% of patients with osteoarthritis. Despite this prevalence, the early events causing PTOA are still unknown. A new study in Disease Models & Mechanisms presents transcriptomic data characterizing the mRNA profile of the early phases of PTOA. The researchers compared two mouse models: the classical surgical OA model through destabilization

Selective neuronal vulnerability is a characteristic that describes how certain neurons are affected by a disease, while others are spared. Although preclinical studies have advanced our understanding of the neural circuits that regulate social behaviors in rodents, the specific neural cell types that are selectively affected in models of neurodevelopmental disorders (NDDs) have yet to be identified

Cleft palate (CP) is a prevalent birth defect that affects one in every 1,000 newborns. Although both genomic and epigenetic factors contribute to the condition, therapies and early diagnoses remain limited because the cause of the problem is still unknown. Inducing CP in animal models relies on the administration of high levels of retinoic acid (RA). A study in Scientific Reports comparing the proteome

Respiratory RNA viruses such as respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV) and human parainfluenza viruses (hPIVs) are a major cause of acute respiratory tract infections and a leading cause of disease and mortality. Previous work has indicated that respiratory viruses can remain in the lungs after acute illness, contributing to the development of chronic lung diseases such as

Accumulating evidence indicates that the gut microbiota (GM) actively participates in a broad range of physiological functions, including regulation of the immune system. Studies have notably shown that the GM can modulate the host’s immune responses along the gut–brain, gut–lung and gut–liver axes via secreted bacterial-derived metabolites such as short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs). In a new study, researchers

Hydroxyapatite is commonly used as a biomaterial in the orthopedic and dental fields. This natural component is considered to be safe and triggers no immune response. Hydroxyapatite nanoparticles (HANPs) have been developed and used in different bone-related therapies and could be good candidates for other purposes, such as drug delivery. However, concerns about their safety have arisen with studies

In the rapidly evolving field of biomedical research, the role of animal models has long been a topic of scientific and ethical debate. However, despite advancements in alternative modeling approaches, animal models remain an essential component of scientific discovery and medical advancement.

Naked mole rats (NMRs), an animal model used in aging research, are known for their underground lifestyle in the wild. One way to improve the lives of laboratory-raised animals is by allowing them to display naturalistic behaviors, such as digging in the case of NMRs. A study in Scientific Reports shows the positive effects of providing a diggable substrate to captive NMRs. When provided with the substrate

Malaria – one of the major infectious diseases worldwide – is contracted by infectious Plasmodium spp. sporozoites deposited into the skin of the human host by an infected female mosquito. Within a few hours, a number of these sporozoites reach the liver via the bloodstream, where they undergo massive replication whilst remaining clinically silent. A better understanding of host–pathogen interactions

Radiation therapy is commonly used to treat cancer, but head or neck treatment usually leads to salivary gland damage. Understanding the mechanisms behind the deleterious effects of salivary gland irradiation is necessary to improve therapies and patients’ quality of life. However, the dosage and regimen of radiation required to reproduce similar damages in mouse models still need to be characterized

Although the ferret model is commonly used to assess the transmission dynamics of influenza viruses, most studies are not representative of real-world situations. In PNAS, Rockey and colleagues used a ferret playpen setup that mimics childcare centers to study the effects of ventilation on influenza virus transmission. The researchers exposed recipient ferrets to a single donor ferret infected with

Space travel missions will be challenging for astronauts not only from a mental perspective but also physically, as they will be in a confined space and under constant exposure to space radiation. Astronauts are required to routinely take a risk-taking test during space flight. Previous studies suggest that low doses of space radiation impact cognitive processes in rodents, but their effect on risk-taking

Approved vaccine boosts against SARS-CoV-2 injected via the intramuscular route continue to protect against severe COVID-19 disease. However, mRNA or adenovirus vector-based vaccines administered via the intramuscular route do not elicit mucosal immunity, limiting their ability to prevent SARS-CoV-2 transmission and infection. In a new study, a team of researchers compared protection against SARS-CoV-2

Ophthalmic degenerative diseases, such as glaucoma, have become a major focus of research, and many studies are trying to identify potential neuroprotective agents. N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) has been used in multiple animal models to induce retinal damage and simulate retinopathies, but a nonhuman primate model has not been described yet. A study in Disease Models & Mechanisms characterizes a macaque

Between 10 and 30% of people infected with SARS-CoV-2 suffer from post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC; also known as long COVID). PASC can persist for months or years and includes conditions such as cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases and metabolic diseases including type 2 diabetes. A new study reports a nonhuman primate model of metabolic PASC using SARS-CoV-2-infected

In the past decades, pigs have gained considerable scientific attention as translational models. As large animal models, pigs share many physiological and anatomical similarities with humans, making them particularly suitable to study various human diseases and identify potential therapies. In this October issue of Lab Animal, we highlight innovative applications of pig models for biomedical research

IACUC professionals depend on conferences and webinars as a primary source of regulatory information; what happens if they walk away with different interpretations of the regulations? We invited experts from The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (Jillian Hash and Denise Ancharski-Stutler) and University of Pennsylvania (Joanna Fried and Ines Rodriguez), along with USDA representative Louis DiVincenti

Researchers have been exploring the transplantation of pig organs as a solution to a worldwide shortage of donated organs.

Exposure to atrazine, a common herbicide frequently used in dry crops such as corn, can have negative effects on the reproductive and endocrine systems, according to several studies. Resveratrol, a naturally occurring phytoalexin antioxidant, is recognized as an effective treatment for the prevention of aging and reproductive impairments. A study in Scientific Reports explores whether resveratrol can

Organ development and maturation are complex processes requiring dynamic fluctuations and precise balance of a multitude of molecules, especially during adolescence. Understanding the regulatory mechanisms in various organs during life is especially important for clarifying fundamental biological questions such as aging diseases. A study in Nature Communications presents a multi-organ proteome atlas

Medulloblastoma (MB), sonic hedgehog (SHH)-activated tumors are malignant pediatric tumors of the central nervous system. Although numerous SHH MB mouse models have been developed to better understand the mechanisms driving SHH MB progression and identify therapies, treatment regimens remain suboptimal for patients. A new study reports the development of a zebrafish model of SHH MB using CRISPR to