Use of Laboratory Animals in Biomedical and Behavioral Research (1988) / Chapter Skim
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4. Alternative Methods in Biomedical and Behavioral Research
4. Alternative Methods in Biomedical and Behavioral Research
Pages 38-46
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From page 38... ...
By expanding what is considered to be an alternative to include reductions in the use of animals and refinements in experimental protocols that lessen the pain of the animals involved, the possibility of using alternatives increases. In addition, the replacement of one animal species with another, particularly if the substituted species is nonmammalian, can be considered another alternative method.
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From page 39... ...
A variety of organisms have been used in achieving the progress that has been made in biomedical research during this century (National Research Council, 1985b)
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From page 40... ...
has recommended in its report Modem for Biomedical Research: A New Perspective that NTH support those proposals aimed at the development of mode} systems for specific fields of research. The committee also recommended that NTH regard proposals for the study of invertebrates, lower Vertebrates, microorganisms, cell and tissue culture systems, and mathematical models as having the same potential relevance to biomedical research as proposals for work on mammalian models.
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From page 41... ...
It also demonstrates that biomedical research requires the use of anneals, whether they be frogs, rabbits, snakes, or electric eels. ALTERNATIVES TO MAMMALS As discussed in Chapter 2, rodents (rats, mice, guinea pigs, and hamsters)
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From page 42... ...
For instance, research on the eye pigmentation of Drosophila led to the hypothesis that each gene controls a single enzyme a concept that has proved fundamental to modern molecular biology (Ephrussi, 1942~. Other invertebrates have also been studied; for example, research on the squid giant axon provided the basis for the concept of the ionic nature of the electrical action potential in nerve transmission (Hodgkin and Huxley, 1952~.
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From page 43... ...
The endothelial cells harvested from umbilical cords are used for tissue culture; the membranes are studied to further the understanding of human labor processes and have displaced, to a degree, experiments in sheep; and the placenta proper is used to study lamunin and other basement membrane proteins (Charpin et al., 1985~. Various other tissues are collected at autopsy for an array of research uses.
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From page 44... ...
Refinements The preceding discussion has focused primarily on means of reducing the number of animals used or replacing mammals with other organisms or with in vitro or mathematical models. The third alternative is to refine experunental techniques to lessen the discomfort of the animals involved.
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From page 45... ...
Tox-Tips, a journal published since 1976 by the National Library of Medicine in Bethesda, Maryland, ~ designed specificaDy to prevent cluplication of toxicity-testing programs and to provide citations of tests that minimize the use of live Mornay. For example, the June 1986 volume included references to Mends Egg Chorioaliantoic Membrane Test for Irritation Potentials (T~uepke, 1985)
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From page 46... ...
This lack of success is due both to the paucity of suitable alternatives and to regulations that require the use of specific animal tests. Although better models may become available that eluninate the use of animals, for the immediate future more realistic goad are reductions in the number of animals used, replacements of mammals with nonmamrnalian systems, and experimental refinements that lead to a reduction in the pain and discomfort of the animals being tested.
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