Table 5 Overall merits and caveats of various types of MetS animal model
Diet-induced model of MetS Examples: Induction by fructose drinking water, high fat diet, and high-carbohydrate high-fat diet | |
Pros | Cons |
➢ Suitable for the investigations of non-genetic lifestyle-dependent MetS in humans ➢ Inexpensive (dependent on the kind of diet) | ➢ Delayed onset of MetS ➢ A lengthy duration of diet regimen (usually takes up to 16 weeks) |
Genetic model of MetS Examples: ZF rat, ZDF rat, DS/obese rat, Koletsky rat, POUND mouse | |
Pros | Cons |
➢ Severe and spontaneous occurring MetS | ➢ Do not resemble the criteria of MetS in humans with intact leptin receptor gene ➢ Mutation in leptin or leptin receptor gene rarely occur in humans ➢ Costly ➢ Mutations/deficiencies in animals are not easily manipulated |
Drug/chemical-induced model of MetS Example: Induction by glucocorticoids and antipsychotic drugs | |
Pros | Cons |
➢ Suitable for the investigations of drug-related MetS in human ➢ Inexpensive | ➢ Delayed onset of MetS |