Which animals are commonly used in biomedical research?

• A. Fish, birds, reptiles
• B. Mice, Rats, Dogs, Cats, and Primates
• C. Only Humans
• D. Insects and Bacteria

Answer: (B)

In biomedical research, models are chosen for how closely they reflect human biology and how practical they are to study. The animals most routinely used are mice and rats, because they’re small, inexpensive, breed quickly, and can be genetically manipulated, making them incredibly versatile for a wide range of disease and treatment studies. Dogs and cats also play important roles in pharmacology, physiology, and translational research, offering clinically relevant organ systems and larger anatomy that can be useful for specific investigations. Non-human primates are used when the closest possible similarity to human biology is needed, especially in neuroscience and immune studies, but they are much costlier and come with stringent ethical oversight. Other animals like certain fish and birds are used too, but they don’t provide as broad a representation of human biology as the mammalian models. Insects and bacteria are valuable for specific areas of biology and genetics, but they’re not animals in the context of this broad question. This is why the group of mice, rats, dogs, cats, and primates is the most commonly used set across diverse biomedical research areas.