Lecture 3

Question 1

Experimental models for human medical and health research:

Answer 1

A. Simulations and mathematic models/computer (in silico)

B. In Vitro (“in glass”) and ex vivo (“out of living”) models

C. Animal models

D. Human participants

Question 2

Main purpose for in vitro and ex vitro research

Answer 2

-Allows for more controlled experimental conditions
-Understanding fundamental mechanisms

Question 3

Animal models - Lab rats

Answer 3

-Very social and intelligent

• Often used to study lifestyle effects on metabolism (diets, exercise, drugs)

-Tend to take a “more severe approach” than with humans

-Not a good model for human infant nutrition and metabolism

-Some genetically modified rats (not as common as mice)

Question 4

Animal models - Lab mice

Answer 4

• Popular due to ease of applying recombinant DNA technology
• Can test importance of a single protein
• Used to study lifestyle effects on metabolism; result may differ from rats

*can’t assume one rodent model = another

Question 5

Animal models - Swine

Answer 5

-Piglets are best non-primate model for human infant development and metabolism

• Used to study organ transplants (xenografts)

Question 6

Animal models - Primates

Answer 6

• The closest model you will likely get to represent the human

-Ethics and cost can be an issue

• Very little primate research in Canada; more in the US
• Human pathologies, transplantation, drug abuse and toxicology

Question 7

Non - clinical studies (non-intervention)

Answer 7

• No medicinal/lifestyle treatment given
• Cannot predict/prove cause and effect of a medicinal substance
• Only predicts associations/correlations
• Epidemiological studies are the most common

Question 8

Clinical studies (intervention)

Answer 8

• Medicinal/lifestyle treatment and/or a control substance/placebo is given
• Can be used to predict cause and effect
• Double blind, placebo - controlled clinical trials are the gold standard for medical and healthcare research