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Animal models of cigarette smoke-induced COPD
Joanne L Wright1, Andrew Churg
1Department of Pathology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, BC, Canada. jlwright@interchange.ubc.ca
Objectives:
To review the animal models of COPD, and to compare these data to those found in humans.
Results:
Smoke-induced animal models can produce emphysema, although the lesions are not generally close mimics of human emphysema, as well as increases in mucous-secreting cells and vascular changes including pulmonary hypertension. There is considerable species-to-species variation in the degree and/or presence of these different abnormalities, so that care has to be used in selecting a species to study. Remarkably little information is available about the biochemical and molecular changes induced by cigarette smoke in animal models.
Conclusions:
Great insights into the pathology of chronic obstructive lung disease have been made using various animal models.