Model Systems in Biology: History, Philosophy, and Practical Concerns

How biomedical research using various animal species and in vitro  cellular systems has resulted in both major successes and translational  failure.

In Model Systems in Biology, comparative neurobiologist  Georg Striedter examines how biomedical researchers have used animal  species and in vitro cellular systems to understand and develop  treatments for human diseases ranging from cancer and polio to  Alzheimer’s disease and schizophrenia. Although there have been some  major successes, much of this “translational” research on model systems  has failed to generalize to humans. Striedter explores the history of  such research, focusing on the models used and considering the question  of model selection from a variety of perspectives—the philosophical, the  historical, and that of practicing biologists.
 
Striedter  reviews some philosophical concepts and ethical issues, including  concerns over animal suffering and the compromises that result. He  traces the history of the most widely used animal and in vitro models,  describing how they compete with one another in a changing ecosystem of  models. He examines how therapies for bacterial and viral infections,  cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders have been  developed using animal and cell culture models—and how research into  these diseases has both taken advantage of and been hindered by model  system differences. Finally, Striedter argues for a “big tent” biology,  in which a diverse set of models and research strategies can coexist  productively.