Written By: Nirmalya Dutta | Updated : May 21, 2014 11:18 AM IST
For decades, mice have been the most commonly used animal model to study human diseases both for physiological or psychological research because they are mammals and share a high degree of similarity with humans. Because of this they've been extensively used as test subjects for diseases that affect men like heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, cancer, blindness, HIV/AIDS and many more. The mouse's DNA genome has been sequenced and almost all mouse chromosomes have human counterparts. They are also small, inexpensive to raise and reproduce fast so it's possible to study several generations in a short period of time.
However, a recent news report suggests that mouse model might be totally misleading for at least three different types of disease sepsis, burns and trauma. If this is true, then years and billions of dollars (not to mention the horror the mice face) have been wasted following false leads. The study's findings do not mean that mice are useless models but the authors of the study believe that they are not suitable for diseases that affect the human immune system including heart disease and cancer.
'Our article raises at least the possibility that a parallel situation may be present,' said Dr H Shaw Warren, a sepsis researcher at Massachusetts General Hospital and a lead author of the new study. All tests were based on studies in mice. And mice, it turns out, can have something that looks like sepsis, but is very different from the condition in humans.
What this means?
If it does turn out to be true that means we've been harassing the poor rodents for nothing. Researchers, believing that they have been searching for cures have done unspeakable things to mice over the years. They've given them heroin, cocaine, HIV/AIDS, blinded them to see if we could give them sight again, broken their spines and then tried to make then walk and much, much more. One study even found that mice which were fed yoghurt tended to act more manly and had bigger testicles!
We look back at five assumptions that have been made by using mice:
Yoghurt can make you more virile!
A study found that mice that were fed yoghurt or curd tended to be manlier! They found male mice fed the vanilla-flavoured dessert had a certain 'swagger' when they walked. These mice had testicles that were five percent higher than other mice on a normal diet and 15 percent heavier than junk-eating males.
Viagra can reverse obesity and diabetes!
Researchers found that mice treated with Viagra, the popular drug against erectile dysfunction actually lost more weight and reversed the symptoms of diabetes! They found that mice that were given the drug also tended to gain less weight. The drug caused the conversion of white fat cells to beige ones on mice which helps burn the fat and helps fight obesity!
Glaucoma drug can regrow human hair!
Experiments on both human cells and rat cells found that applying a glaucoma (an eye disorder) drug bimatoprost helped regrow hair in rats. The tests on human cells involved using hair follicles growing in organ culture as well as those take directly from the human scalp. In both the experiments, the scientists found that bimatoprost led to hair growth. The third set of experiments involved applying bimatoprost to the skin of bald spots on mice. As was the case with human cells, the drug caused hair to regrow.
Walnuts can prevent prostate cancer!
The research found that prostate tumours in mice fed the human equivalent of three ounces per day of walnuts were approximately 50% smaller and grew 30% slower than prostate tumors in control mice. In addition to lower plasma Insulin-like growth factor 1 (IGF-1), a biomarker strongly associated with prostate cancer, walnut fed mice had lower LDL (bad) cholesterol as well.
Apple compound helps burn fat!
A waxy compound found in apple peel may help reduce obesity and its associated health problems by increasing the amount of muscle and brown fat, two tissues recognised for their calorie-burning properties, a study says. The study conducted at the University of Iowa, US, found that the compound known as ursolic acid helped mice burn calories and shed weight, besides keeping pre-diabetes and fatty liver disease at bay, even when they were being given a high-fat diet.
Read more about causes, symptoms, diagnosis and treatment of diabetes.
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