What is studied using rats? - briefly
Scientists use rats to explore genetics, neurobiology, pharmacology, toxicology, and physiological mechanisms. They also serve as models for diseases such as diabetes, obesity, and neurodegenerative disorders.
What is studied using rats? - in detail
Rats serve as primary subjects in a wide range of scientific investigations because their physiology, genetics, and behavior closely resemble those of humans while allowing controlled experimental manipulation.
- Biomedical disease models – Researchers reproduce conditions such as diabetes, hypertension, cardiovascular disease, Parkinson’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, and various cancers to evaluate disease mechanisms and test therapeutic interventions.
- Pharmacological testing – New drugs, analgesics, anesthetics, and vaccines undergo efficacy and safety assessments, including dose‑response relationships, metabolism, and side‑effect profiling.
- Neuroscience – Studies of learning, memory, reward pathways, pain perception, and neural circuitry employ behavioral tasks, electrophysiological recordings, and imaging techniques to map brain function.
- Genetic and molecular biology – Transgenic, knockout, and CRISPR‑edited rats provide platforms for examining gene function, epigenetic regulation, and gene‑environment interactions.
- Toxicology and environmental health – Exposure to chemicals, pollutants, and radiation is monitored for acute and chronic toxicity, organ‑specific damage, and biomarkers of exposure.
- Nutrition and metabolism – Dietary manipulations investigate obesity, nutrient absorption, gut microbiota, and metabolic syndrome, often linking diet to disease outcomes.
- Immunology – Rat models explore immune responses, autoimmune disorders, transplant rejection, and the efficacy of immunomodulatory agents.
- Developmental biology – Prenatal and postnatal studies assess organogenesis, neurodevelopment, and the impact of maternal factors on offspring health.
Each application relies on standardized protocols, ethical oversight, and reproducible endpoints, enabling translation of findings to human health and advancing knowledge across multiple scientific disciplines.