Model Organisms: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 02:45, 8 December 2023

Model organisms are non-human species that are extensively studied to understand particular biological phenomena, with the expectation that discoveries made in the organism model will provide insight into the workings of other organisms. In longevity research, model organisms are crucial for understanding the mechanisms of aging and developing interventions to extend lifespan and improve healthspan.

Importance in Longevity Research

Model organisms offer several advantages in longevity research:

Genetic Manipulation: Easy to genetically manipulate, allowing researchers to study the effects of specific genes on aging.
Short Lifespan: Many have short lifespans, enabling the study of genetic and environmental impacts on aging within a reasonable timeframe.
Conserved Pathways: They often share many biological pathways with humans, making it possible to translate findings into human aging research.

Common Model Organisms

Organism	Scientific Name	Lifespan	Use in Research
Yeasts	Saccharomyces cerevisiae	Days	Studying cellular aging, replication, and metabolism
Nematodes	Caenorhabditis elegans	2-3 weeks	Genetic and pharmacological studies in aging
Fruit Flies	Drosophila melanogaster	40-50 days	Genetic regulation of aging and age-related diseases
Mice	Mus musculus	1-2 years	Aging and age-associated diseases research, genetic similarity to humans
Zebrafishes	Danio rerio	3-5 years	Vertebrate development and genetics, including aging processes
Rhesus Monkeys	Macaca mulatta	Up to 40 years	Studies relevant for human aging due to close genetic relation
Rats	Rattus norvegicus	2-3 years	Used in a variety of aging studies, including age-related diseases and neurobiology

References

@@ Line 10: / Line 10: @@
 == Common Model Organisms ==
-=== Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) ===
+{| class="wikitable"
-* '''Lifespan:''' Days
+! Organism
-* '''Use in Research:''' Yeast is used to study cellular aging, particularly in terms of replication and metabolism.
+! Scientific Name
+! Lifespan
-=== Nematode (Caenorhabditis elegans) ===
+! Use in Research
-* '''Lifespan:''' 2-3 weeks
+|-
-* '''Use in Research:''' C. elegans is widely used in longevity research, especially for genetic and pharmacological studies.
+| Yeasts
+| ''Saccharomyces cerevisiae''
-=== Fruit Fly (Drosophila melanogaster) ===
+| Days
-* '''Lifespan:''' 40-50 days
+| Studying cellular aging, replication, and metabolism
-* '''Use in Research:''' Drosophila is a key model for studying the genetic regulation of aging and age-related diseases.
+|-
+| Nematodes
-=== Mouse (Mus musculus) ===
+| ''Caenorhabditis elegans''
-* '''Lifespan:''' 1-2 years
+| 2-3 weeks
-* '''Use in Research:''' Mice are closely related to humans at the genetic level, making them particularly valuable for studying aging and age-associated diseases.
+| Genetic and pharmacological studies in aging
+|-
-=== Zebrafish (Danio rerio) ===
+| Fruit Flies
-* '''Lifespan:''' 3-5 years
+| ''Drosophila melanogaster''
-* '''Use in Research:''' Zebrafish are used to study vertebrate development and genetics, including aging-related processes.
+| 40-50 days
+| Genetic regulation of aging and age-related diseases
-=== Rhesus Monkey (Macaca mulatta) ===
+|-
-* '''Lifespan:''' Up to 40 years
+| Mice
-* '''Use in Research:''' As primates, they are particularly relevant for translating findings into human aging.
+| ''Mus musculus''
+| 1-2 years
+| Aging and age-associated diseases research, genetic similarity to humans
+|-
+| Zebrafishes
+| ''Danio rerio''
+| 3-5 years
+| Vertebrate development and genetics, including aging processes
+|-
+| Rhesus Monkeys
+| ''Macaca mulatta''
+| Up to 40 years
+| Studies relevant for human aging due to close genetic relation
+|-
+| Rats
+| ''Rattus norvegicus''
+| 2-3 years
+| Used in a variety of aging studies, including age-related diseases and neurobiology
+|}
 == References ==
 <references />
 [[Category:Model Organism|!Model_Organism]]