In his previous post Jack Budny asked the question:
>Should a criteria for an animal model for toxicology be that the time-course
>and characteristics of the toxicologically-induced
>disease state resemble, replicate or be identical to the toxicant-induced
>disease condition in humans?
I think that if toxicological effects seen in the model system RESEMBLES
the effects seen in the human system it is sufficient.
The reason I say this is that toxicological responses AMONG HUMANS are
themselves quite variable. An old toxicologist friend used to always remind
me that "humans are the greatest mongrels". Thus there may not be an exact
or correct human toxicological response for the animal model to mimic. For
example, consider how genetic polymorphisms in N-acetyltransferases,
glutathione-S-transferases
and P450s affect metabolic activation/detoxification and disesase
processes. What animal system CAN provide an exact model for a highly
varied human population?
Also-----I say that "RESEMBLES is close enough" because it is a good week
in the lab when my model is even in the ballpark in estimating what I
assume to be "the relevant" human toxicological response! : > )
Chuck
Dr. Charles A. Miller, rellim at mailhost.tcs.tulane.edu
Bionet.toxicology Discussion Leader
Dept. Environmental Health Sciences
Rm. 374, Center for Bioenvironmental Research
School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine
Tulane University Medical Center
1430 Tulane Ave. Box SL29
New Orleans, LA 70112
Ph. 504-585-6942, Fx. 504-585-6939
