Published in Scientific Works. Series C. Veterinary Medicine, Vol. LXX, Issue 2
Written by Fabiola IONIȚĂ, Cristin COMAN, Mario CODREANU
Metabolic syndrome (MetS) consists in a cluster of metabolic complications, characterized by the simultaneous prevalence of at least three of the following medical conditions: central obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia and hypertension. MetS is a disorder with a complex etiology and an alarming prevalence rate, so the establishment of appropriate animal models mimicking MetS in humans is essential for understanding the pathophysiological mechanisms involved and for developing new therapeutic strategies. Although numerous animal models of MetS have been currently developed, the choice of a particular model requires a careful analysis in relation to the usefulness and suitability, in order to improve the applicability of the preclinical research to the clinical on. The aim of this review is to summarize the main mice models, this species being the most frequently used in the study of MetS and obesity. Several approaches have been used in order to induce MetS in animal models including specific diet administration, genetic techniques, and chemically-induction. Apart from pathophysiological similarities with the human MetS, a suitable animal model should also have an increased accessibility and reliability, as well as being easy to reproduce in future research.
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