ABSTRACT
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic immune-me- diated synovial disease with unknown aetiology, therefore, it is considered a chronic disease that cannot be cured. RA is caused by a complex interaction between genetic and environmental factors. As such long-standing efforts have been made for better understanding of disease pathogenesis and the development of new classes of therapeutics, the continuing elucidation of pathogenic events underlying RA mostly relies on animal model studies. Individually animal models allow molecular and spatiotemporal dissection of various pathological processes of RA development. We have herein comprehensively discussed different animal models in induction methods, pathogenesis, pathological events and disease characteristics, hoping to provide the basis and reference for the rational selection of experimental animal models for the basic research and drug screening of RA.