Rattus norvegicus
Rattus norvegicus is a brown lab rat also known as the Norway rat.
They are a commonly used model organism for studying different processes in humans, as they can mimic human diseases pretty well[1].
It is also the first mammalian species that was utilised for sceintific reserach, hence is the the most extensively used model animal in research.
It is a conveneient model organism due to its smaller size, rapid life cycle, similarity to humans and they are relatively affordable. There are also a large number of mutants available and you can even manipulate the genome.
They have been used for a vast array of research including aging, addiction, cancer, genomics, cardiovascular diseases and many more[2].
References
- ↑ DNA Learning Centre. Rat (Rattus norvegicus). [Cited 22/10/2018]. Available from: https://www.dnalc.org/view/1717-Rat-Rattus-norvegicus-.html
- ↑ Genome Research. Functional Genomics and Rat Models. [Cited 22/10/18]; Available at: https://genome.cshlp.org/content/9/11/1013.full.html