Animal Use in Research Flashcards 3

Vocabulary flashcards focusing on animal research regulations, animal models, ethics (the 3 Rs), and governing policies.

Why do we use animals in research

• To discover how life works

• To be a model for humans

• To be a model for other animals

• For the advancements of the species itself

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act of 1938

A US law requiring animal safety testing for products intended for human use

Pig Heart Xenotransplantation Genetic Modifications

The modification of a donor pig's genome involving the insertion of six human genes and remove four pig genes to prevent hyper-fast organ rejection and abnormal organ growth

The Three Rs

• Replacement Is when we don’t use animal for experiments or we use a species that is less capable of experiencing pain

• Reduction Is when we use the fewest animals needed to get reliable results, using mainly statistical models to plan studies

• Refinement Is when we improve the way we’re doing experiments to reduce animals, pain, suffering, and distress

Replacement

Replacement Is when we don’t use animal for experiments or we use a species that is less capable of experiencing pain

Reduction

Reduction Is when we use the fewest animals needed to get reliable results, using mainly statistical models to plan studies

Refinement

Refinement Is when we improve the way we’re doing experiments to reduce animals, pain, suffering, and distress

Why are mice and rats used so much

• Affordable

• They produce many offspring

• Reach maturity fast

• Easy to care for

• Fall under mammal category

What isn’t included in animal welfare act

Rats and mice used in research

AWA

• Animal welfare act

• Signed into law on August 24, 1966, it is the ONLY US federal law regulating the treatment of animals in research, testing, teaching, exhibition, transport, and by dealers, enforced by USDA, APHIS, Animal Care

AWA Covered Species

• All warm-blooded animals used in research

• Explicitly excluding rats, mice, and birds bred for research

AWIC

• Animal Welfare Information Center

• Mandated under the AWA's 1985 amendment (Improved Standards for Laboratory Animals Act) to provide guidance and information on AWA regulations

PHS Policy

• Public Health Service Policy

• Protecting all vertebrate animals (including fish, reptiles, rats, mice, and birds) used in research funded by the PHS

AAALAC International

• Association for Assessment and Accreditation of Laboratory Animal Care

• A nonprofit organization providing voluntary certification for research facilities complying with the Guide, conducting site visits every 3 years

IACUC

• Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee

• An institutional oversight body responsible for reviewing protocols, inspecting housing facilities, holding monthly sessions, and ensuring ethical animal care

Cynomolgus monkey (Macaca fascicularis)

A primate model highlighted as the first animal model for evaluating steroid glucuronidation

Intrauterine Growth Restriction (IUGR)

A global fetal complication associated with early mortality and metabolic dysfunction, commonly investigated using pregnant sheep models