In vitro and in vivo model systems used in prostate cancer research.

New incidence of prostate cancer is a major public health issue in the Western world, and has been rising in other areas of the globe in recent years. In an effort to understanding the molecular pathogenesis of this disease, numerous cell models have been developed, arising mostly from patient biopsies. The introduction of the genetically engineered mouse in biomedical research has allowed the development of murine models that allow for the investigation of tumorigenic and metastatic processes. Current challenges to the field include lack of an animal model that faithfully recapitulates bone metastasis of prostate cancer.