Osteoporosis (OP) is a widespread disease characterized by reduced bone
mass and disruption of bone microarchitecture. The association of this chronic
metabolic condition with increased skeletal fragility and vulnerability to fracture is
well-established. Although OP is both preventable and curable, being a clinically silent
disease, it goes undetected until it manifests in the form of a fragility fracture. These
fractures are associated with significant morbidity and mortality among patients. More
than 200 million people worldwide are currently suffering from OP, making this
critical disease a major public health concern. Due to ongoing demographic changes,
the medical and socioeconomic impact of OP is predicted to increase further. However,
to date, the management of OP remains a challenge, which necessitates the need for
further research to fully understand its molecular mechanism and to establish novel
prevention strategies and more effective treatment approaches. Animal models of OP
are used widely as appropriate tools to enhance knowledge about disease etiology as
well as to do pre-clinical evaluation of treatment and prevention strategies. This chapter
aims to overview the currently available well-established animal models of OP with a
focus on the ovariectomized rat model for postmenopausal OP. The information
provided may help researchers to select an appropriate model in accordance with their
research objective.
Keywords: Animal models, Bone mineral density, Monkey, Ovariectomy, Primary osteoporosis, Rat, Rabbit, Sheep, Secondary osteoporosis.
