Are Model Organisms Unsafe Or Unethical

Model organisms are organisms used for research. They are alive, non-human species used for the purpose of studying different human diseases or other related experiments in which human testing would be considered either unsafe or unethical. Scientists study a particular biological phenomenon on a model organism and try to relate their findings to other types of organisms that are more difficult to study. As an example, 60% of human disease genes have an equivalent in the fruit fly and nematode worm. Multiple types of species are used as model organisms and some are used more frequently than others. The more one species is used as a model, the more data it has been collected about it, making it more interesting for other scientists in researching further results and relating to previously obtained ones.

There are 3 major types of model organisms: genetic models, experimental models and genomic models. Genetic model organisms are species that are pliable for genetic analysis (examples: the fruit fly, the nematode worm, baker’s yeast). They can be easily maintained in a laboratory, breed rapidly and have a short life cycle, making it possible for scientists to observe their progress over multiple generations, to mutate and create
It has a genome that can be easily manipulated and that is very similar to the one of humans, 90% similarity. Mice are used in drug testing, researching the immune, neural and endocrine systems, mimicking gene mutation and making disease models. Although humans have 99% genome similarity to the one of chimpanzees, which would make them a better fit as a model organism for humans, they are protected and rarely used in research. Because of ethical concerns in the use of animals for testing and research, other alternative methods have been developed, like cell cultures and in vitro studies and computer models, but complex research may also need living model