Model Organism

A Model Organism is an Organism that is a non-human and that has been heavily researched to understand particular biological phenomena.

• Context:
  • It can have its Genetic Sequence mapped.
• Example(s):
  • Saccharomyces Serevisiae,
  • Escheria Coli,
  • Anobapsis,
  • Drosyphela,
  • …
• Counter-Example(s):
  • Animal Model,
  • Biomedical Model,
  • Cellular Model,
  • Homo Sapiens,
  • Oncology Model,
  • Recovery Model,
  • Xenograft Model.
• See: Biology, Biological Activity, Non-Human, Species, Disease, Human Experimentation, Bioethics, Common Descent, Metabolic Pathway, Developmental Biology, Genetic Material, Evolution.

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References

2021

• (Wikipedia, 2021) ⇒ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Model_organism Retrieved:2021-11-14.
  • A model organism (often shortened to model) is a non-human species that is extensively studied to understand particular biological phenomena, with the expectation that discoveries made in the model organism will provide insight into the workings of other organisms. Model organisms are widely used to research human disease when human experimentation would be unfeasible or unethical. This strategy is made possible by the common descent of all living organisms, and the conservation of metabolic and developmental pathways and genetic material over the course of evolution. Studying model organisms can be informative, but care must be taken when generalizing from one organism to another. In researching human disease, model organisms allow for better understanding the disease process without the added risk of harming an actual human. The species chosen will usually meet a determined taxonomic equivalencyto humans, so as to react to disease or its treatment in a way that resembles human physiology as needed. Although biological activity in a model organism does not ensure an effect in humans, many drugs, treatments and cures for human diseases are developed in part with the guidance of animal models. There are three main types of disease models: homologous, isomorphic and predictive. Homologous animals have the same causes, symptoms and treatment options as would humans who have the same disease. Isomorphic animals share the same symptoms and treatments. Predictive models are similar to a particular human disease in only a couple of aspects, but are useful in isolating and making predictions about mechanisms of a set of disease features.

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