Experimental models for the study of cardiovascular function and disease.

In the study of cardiovascular biology, both under conditions of health and disease, the investigator enjoys the availability of a vast range of experimental models ranging from man to a single molecule and beyond. There is also a vast spectrum of measurable indices of function and injury. This is particularly so in the case of myocardial ischemia, a disease which still contributes to the majority of deaths in the Western Hemisphere. Each experimental model, each species and each end-point has its own inherent advantages and disadvantages and appreciating these will help the investigator select the most appropriate study system for the particular question under investigation. This article endeavours to identify some of these strengths and weaknesses and reveals the frequently encountered paradox that the greater the amount and reproducibility of data the further removed is the model from clinical reality. Fortunately, however, an appreciation of this 'weakness' can often be exploited for the advancement of knowledge. Copyright 2000 Academic Press.