سامانه همایش های دانشگاه آزاد اسلامی واحد نجف آباد

صفحه اصلی / اولین همایش بین المللی تحول خدمات سلامت: تلفیق مراقبت، درمان، بازتوانی و امیدبخشی

Selecting an Appropriate Animal Model in Tissue Engineering: A Review of Evidence and Applications

نویسندگان :

Seyed Mehrad Mirhosseini¹ Samyar Moradian Tehrani² Arad Mozafari³ Taha Saniei Sichani⁴

1- Clinical Research Development Center, Na.C., Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran 2- Clinical Research Development Center, Na.C., Islamic Azad University, Najafabad 3- Clinical Research Development Center, Na.C., Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran 4- Clinical Research Development Center, Na.C., Islamic Azad University, Najafabad, Iran

کلمات کلیدی :

Tissue Engineering،Animal Experimentation،Models،Animal،Biocompatible Materials،Translational Research

چکیده :

Background: Animal models are a cornerstone of tissue engineering research because they enable assessment of biocompatibility, tissue regeneration, immune response, and functional performance of scaffolds, cells, and biomaterials within living systems (1). The choice of animal species depends on the target tissue, defect size, physiological similarity to humans, cost, ethical considerations, and reproducibility (1, 2). This review aimed to summarize the animals most commonly used in tissue engineering and the rationale for their selection. Methods: This narrative review examined biomedical literature on animal models used in bone, cartilage, skin, vascular, nerve, and muscle tissue engineering. Commonly employed species, including mice, rats, rabbits, dogs, pigs, sheep, and goats, were reviewed with emphasis on their biological and practical selection criteria. Findings: Rodents, particularly mice and rats, remain the most widely used preclinical models because of their low cost, ease of handling, rapid breeding, and availability of genetic tools (3). Rabbits are frequently used for bone and cartilage defect studies owing to their suitable size and surgical accessibility (2, 3). Sheep and goats are valuable in orthopedic tissue engineering due to skeletal dimensions and mechanical stability, closer to humans (2, 4). Pigs are especially important in skin and cardiovascular tissue engineering because of their anatomical and physiological similarities to human skin and vasculature. Dogs are now less commonly used; however, they were used more frequently in certain cardiovascular and orthopedic studies in the past (1). Overall, the choice of animal model must align with the research question, the size and type of the tissue under investigation, and the extent to which the results can be applied to medicine and humans (2, 4). Conclusion: No single animal model is ideal for all tissue engineering applications. A stepwise strategy using small animals followed by large-animal validation, together with ethical adherence to the 3Rs principle, can improve preclinical relevance and support clinical translation (2, 5).