Translational Pig Models

Why is MD Biosciences using pigs as a large species model?

• System similarities between the pig and human including the cardiovascular, central nervous, immune and digestive systems.
• Correlation between contracile, metabolic and morphological features in skeletal muscle of humans and pigs.   
• Pig skin exhibits a higher degree of homology to human skin than murine skin, making the pig a preferable animal model for wound healing studies or studies involving transdermal drug delivery.
• Nociceptive and non-nociceptive C-fiber classes found in pig skin correlate with human fiber classes, in both distribution and axonal excitability changes.
• The pig sciatic nerve after 6 months of sustained hyperglycemia exhibits alterations in fiber density often observed in human patients with long-term diabetes. 

Electrophysiology Laboratory Services

The use of precise diagnostic tools for measuring electrophysiology (EP) action potentials further enriches our animal models, providing insight into nerve regeneration, degeneration and protection. Application of these capabilities to our validated disease models such as MS/EAE models, peripheral nerve injury, spinal cord injury and CNS pain models provide valuable information into multiple areas of compound efficacy. 

Pig PNT Model Open Field

            Naive 

                       PNT Pain

The problem: the rat model is limited in assessing any local treatment (cream, skin injections, patches and even nerve blocks).

The solution: pig models. We provide a solution to this problem.

Advantages range from technical to scientific: volume of injection, nerve stimulation, imaging, PK; behavioral changes, skin biomarkers. 

If you would like to inquire about a study, please contact us!