ABSTRACT
The 2023 China Health Report on Spine Degeneration noted a significant increase in lumbar surgery among patients under 35 years old in recent years, indicating a trend towards younger onset of cervical and lumbar diseases. Lumbar intervertebral disc herniation has become a major concern, making the study of disc degeneration pathogenesis and treatment methods clinically significant. At present, human intervertebral disc diseases are primarily diagnosed through imaging due to the challenges of obtaining tissue samples from the spine. Therefore, experimental animals have emerged as alternative research subjects because they are cost-effective, have short experimental cycles, and are easily accessible. Given the structural and physiological differences between human and other animal intervertebral discs, comparing their anatomy and histological characteristics forms the foundation of research into human disc degeneration. The purpose of this paper is to collect and review relevant studies on anatomical and histological structures of intervertebral discs in different animals and conduct a comparative analysis from four aspects, namely, intervertebral disc height, lumbar disc geometry, lumbar disc cartilaginous endplate characteristics, and extracellular matrix components. The results show that humans, kangaroos, sheep, pigs, and rats exhibit similar relative heights between the sixth and seventh cervical vertebrae. Mice possess lumbar disc geometries most akin to humans. Compared to other animals, humans have the thickest cartilaginous endplates and the lowest cell densities. The collagen within the fibrous annulus differs most notably in pigs compared to humans, while water content in the nucleus pulposus is consistent across pigs, sheep, rabbits, rats, and humans. Additionally, this paper describes the commonalities and discrepancies in disc degeneration manifestations between humans and animals, and summarizes modeling methods for disc degeneration in different experimental animals. Ultimately, the aims of this paper is to provide fundamental data for selecting suitable experimental animal models for the study of intervertebral disc degeneration.
ABSTRACT
Comparative,medicine is a branch of laboratory animal seiences which also cuts the first edge of the morden medical sciences.This article mainly discussed the origin of comparative medicine,its contributions to life sciences.relationships between it and laboratory animal science,its importance for life science and medical researches.Most of all.the necessarity and feasibity to teach comparative medicine for the undergraduate students were highlighted
ABSTRACT
Comparative medicine is a new crossing frontier branch subject based on laboratory animal science,and the content,aim and request of its research have been remarkably different from that of laboratory animal science.Acting as the methods,means and support conditions of advancment and development of medicine research,comparative medicine is an important platform ensuring the sustainable development of medicine,and is imperative for the medico to be educated with systemic comparative medicine.
ABSTRACT
Comparative medicine is a synthetical subject,to provide protection and improve healthy medicare of human being by studying all kinds of human diseases using laboratory animals.Comparative medicine is widely involved in training medical talents,elucidating disease mechanism,improving medicare level and benefiting human healthy services.Therefore,comparative medicine research is an important foundation of medicine development,and indispensable supporting condition and organic compartment in all-round development of "medication,education and research" in modern comprehensive hospital.