Studies using a porcine model: what insights into human calcium oxalate stone formation mechanisms has this model facilitated?

Animal models are useful in the study of many human diseases. Our current understanding of the biological, physiological, and biochemical aspects of hyperoxaluria and calcium oxalate urolithiasis has been greatly informed by studies using animals. Recently, limitations in the extrapolation to humans of research results derived from laboratory rodents have been identified. The use in biomedical research of a variety of organisms, including large animals, is increasingly encouraged. The purpose of this article is to review the use of pigs in biomedical and stone research, to provide a rationale for using pigs in metabolic stone research, and to describe our 8-year experience in developing a porcine platform for studying hyperoxaluria and calcium oxalate urolithiasis. In this article, we share and review some of the highlights of our findings. We also report results from a recent feeding swine study that demonstrated oxalate-induced renal nephropathy. Finally, we offer ideas for future directions in urolithiasis research using swine.