Editorial
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World J Diabetes. Nov 15, 2010; 1(5): 137-140
Published online Nov 15, 2010. doi: 10.4239/wjd.v1.i5.137
Contribution of animal models to the research of the causes of diabetes
Eleazar Shafrir
Eleazar Shafrir, Hadassah University Hospital and Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel
Author contribution: Shafrir E contributed solely to this paper.
Correspondence to: Eleazar Shafrir, Professor Emeritus of Biochemistry, Hadassah University Hospital and Hebrew University-Hadassah Medical School, Jerusalem 91120, Israel. eleazars@ekmd.huji.ac.il
Telephone: +972-2-6407562
Received: May 4, 2010
Revised: August 21, 2010
Accepted: August 28, 2010
Published online: November 15, 2010
Abstract

In most publications, animal models of diabetes have mainly been investigated for their multiple etiologies as well as for changes leading to diabetes and their genetic derivation. Aspects which seem important and need a special research endeavor are the mechanism of the causes of diabetes and the lapse into complications in different species, their molecular basis and possible arrest and prevention. A concise list and and short discussion of the intensively studied rodents is presented of spontaneous or nutritional background causing Type 2 diabetes but omitting diabetes evoked by transgenic manipulations or gene knockout techniques.

Keywords: Animal model; Mouse; Rat; Psammomys gerbil; Diabetes