Contents



Preface

Animals have been used in biological and medical research for thousands of years in order to advance the comprehension of living beings and to study the origin and basic principles of life. Furthermore, animal models have contributed significantly to a better understanding of general anatomy, physiology, pathology and pharmacology, as they can be utilized to create controlled situations and simulate specific

Without a doubt, animal models have played essential roles in the most important advances in numerous medical and biological fields. From Louis Pasteur's demonstration of the germ theory of disease using anthrax in sheep and Thomas Hunt Morgan's work with the fruit fly *Drosophila melanogaster* identifying chromosomes as the vector of inheritance for genes, to Jonas Salk's studies on rhesus monkeys to isolate the polio virus, which led to the creation of a polio vaccine and modern medical advances such as organ transplant techniques and the heart–lung machine, animal models have significantly contributed to improvement in the quality of human life. New drugs, vaccines and treatment protocols for human and animal diseases have also been developed thanks to diverse animal models. The progress achieved thanks to the creation and use of animal models is indubitable, as the majority of Nobel Prize awardees in Physiology and Medicine used animal experi-

This book is a collection of 13 state-of-the-art chapters written by renowned experts from all over the world. It represents a compilation of scientific and clinical data that emphasize findings in a wide variety of specialties, such as neurology, psychiatry, cardiology, and behavioral data including the eyes and ears, pediatrics, skin disorders, cardiovascular and musculoskeletal systems, reproduction, chronic

The book provides basic, up-to-date background on the topics as well as deals with clinical aspects, providing insightful information related to the use of animal models in the understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms of action of

A critical objective of the book is to provide real-time experimental approaches and data to scientists, clinicians, researchers and students for the identification of new therapeutic targets and biomarkers using animal models as well as investigate the

We want to express our sincere gratitude to all of the authors who helped write the outstanding chapters in this book. Our special appreciation goes to Author Service Manager, Dajana Pemac, for her outstanding support from the beginning to the end. The editors are also thankful to the Slovak Research and Development Agency (15-0544) and the Department of Science and Technology-Science and Engineering

diseases, epidemiology, and pain and inflammation management.

pathogenesis and therapeutic strategies of human diseases.

physiological or pathological conditions.

ments in their breakthroughs.

various diseases.
