Animal models for induction of diabetes and its complications

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Pharmacology
• Animal Science

Background:

• Diabetes mellitus is a complex metabolic disorder requiring effective therapeutic strategies.
• Animal models are crucial for preclinical research in diabetes drug development and understanding its complications.
• Various methods exist for inducing diabetes in experimental animals, each with specific applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and identify common animal models used for diabetes induction.
• To explore methods for inducing various diabetic complications in these models.
• To provide an overview of diabetes and its types, focusing on induction approaches in rats and mice.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of literature published up to May 2023 from PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus, and Cochrane Library.
• Inclusion criteria focused on studies reporting diabetes induction in experimental animals and models for diabetic nephropathy, retinopathy, neuropathy, and osteopathy.
• Assessment of reporting quality and risk of bias in included articles.

Main Results:

• Rats and mice are the most frequently utilized animal models for inducing diabetes.
• Chemical induction is the predominant method, followed by spontaneous and surgical approaches.
• Specific breeds and species are adapted for studying targeted diabetic complications in organs like eyes, kidneys, and bones.

Conclusions:

• Rats and mice are confirmed as highly suitable models for diabetes research.
• Chemical induction remains the most prevalent method for inducing diabetes in experimental settings.
• Further high-quality research is necessary to refine methods for modeling specific diabetic complications.