Animal models of heart failure recent developments and perspectives

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular Medicine
• Translational Research
• Animal Models

Background:

• Heart failure is a complex syndrome with diverse causes.
• End-stage heart failure involves cardiac dilation and neurohumoral responses.
• No single animal model perfectly replicates human heart failure pathophysiology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review advantages and disadvantages of existing heart failure animal models.
• To discuss models for exploring disease mechanisms and interventions.
• To assess suitability for clinical translation.

Main Methods:

• Review of naturally occurring and induced animal models of heart failure.
• Analysis of models in large animals (dog, pig) and small animals (rat, hamster, mouse).
• Focus on models relevant to disease mechanisms and therapeutic strategies.

Main Results:

• Large animal models offer insights but have limitations.
• Small animal models provide accessibility and genetic manipulation potential.
• Gene-based mouse models are emerging for molecular mechanism studies.

Conclusions:

• Diverse animal models are essential for understanding heart failure.
• Model selection depends on the specific research question.
• Advancements in genetic and physiological techniques enhance mouse model utility.