Biobreeding rat

Biobreeding rat is a type of laboratory rat that is often used in medical research due to its susceptibility to autoimmune diabetes. This makes it a valuable model for studying Type 1 diabetes and potential treatments.

Overview

The Biobreeding rat, also known as the BB rat, is a strain of rat that spontaneously develops autoimmune diabetes. This condition closely resembles human Type 1 diabetes, making the BB rat an important tool in diabetes research. The BB rat was first identified in the 1970s at the Bio-Breeding Laboratories in Ottawa, Canada.

Characteristics

BB rats typically develop diabetes between 50 and 100 days of age. The disease is characterized by the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas, leading to a lack of insulin and high blood sugar levels. This is similar to the process that occurs in humans with Type 1 diabetes.

Use in Research

BB rats have been used in a variety of research studies to better understand the causes of Type 1 diabetes and to test potential treatments. For example, they have been used to study the role of the immune system in diabetes, as well as the effects of diet and environment on the development of the disease.

Genetics

The development of diabetes in BB rats is influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. Several genes have been identified that increase the risk of diabetes in these rats, including the lymphopenia gene, which is associated with a decrease in the number of lymphocytes (a type of white blood cell) in the blood.

See Also

• Laboratory rat
• Type 1 diabetes
• Medical research
• Insulin
• Beta cells
• Pancreas
• Lymphopenia
• Lymphocytes

Biobreeding rat Resources
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