4 Weird Lab Animals
Why do scientists try to learn about /people/ by studying creatures that none of us could ever be mistaken for? Learn about model organisms, and why they're so helpful for us. Hosted by:...
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Sea urchins, fruit flys Why do scientists learn about people by studying creatures that none of us could ever be mistaken for? And why sea /urchins/ rather than, like, sea /horses/? What make some animals more useful in the lab than others? A "model organism" is any living thing that we can use to mimic some feature of human physiology. In other words, an animal who's body functions somewhat like our own, especially when it comes to diseases. Choosing a model organism is a balancing act between finding something that's similar to us, and finding one that's simple to understand and take care of. The simpler an organism is, the easier it is for us to manipulate its genetics and development. But the more similar it is to us, the more confid...
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Sea urchins, fruit flys Why do scientists learn about people by studying creatures that none of us could ever be mistaken for? And why sea /urchins/ rather than, like, sea /horses/? What make some animals more useful in the lab than others? A "model organism" is any living thing that we can use to mimic some feature of human physiology. In other words, an animal who's body functions somewhat like our own, especially when it comes to diseases. Choosing a model organism is a balancing act between finding something that's similar to us, and finding one that's simple to understand and take care of. The simpler an organism is, the easier it is for us to manipulate its genetics and development. But the more similar it is to us, the more confid...
