Abstract
The elucidation of the pathogenesis of human diseases requires increasingly relevant and rigorous animal models. Therefore, investigators must select an appropriate mammalian model. Mice and rats are indispensable in the understanding of the mechanisms of human diseases, but other non-rodent mammals are required in certain situations. The rabbit is one such species. The rabbit exhibits greater biological similarities to humans than the mouse or rat, and the rabbit VX2 allograft cancer model has been used in a broad range of oncological studies, such as stromal responses, metastatic behaviors and therapeutic effects. Cancer cells in this model proliferate in a host rabbit that maintains a natural immunity, which makes this model attractive and unique. However, these examples constitute only a small number of advantages of a rabbit model. Numerous reports suggest that the rabbit is an attractive cancer-bearing animal model for the study of cancer metastasis and the lymphatic system. I briefly review the relevant medical literature and compare the rabbit lymphatic system with mice, rats and humans.
