Table 2 Advantages and Pitfalls of Experimental Approaches in Disease Modelling.
Model | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
• Conserved functional properties • Incorporate all cell types in heterogeneous tissue | • Limited availability / limited proliferation in vitro (cell type-dependent) • Different genotype depending on donor – lack of reproducibility • Large variation in quality/viability • Difficult to maintain cell functionality in vitro • Limited genetic manipulation | |
• Expandable • Similar transcriptional markers and functional properties to human primary cells | • Immortalised/proliferative • Aneuploid • Low clonal efficiency • Genetic manipulation can be limited • Batch-to-batch variations • Reduced functional resolution • No disease-enabling genetic background | |
• Share similar properties to human primary cells • Proliferative | • Difficult to extract • Difficult to culture | |
• Can differentiate into any cell type • Easy to genetically manipulate | • Variable differentiation efficiency • Functionally immature • Polyhormonal cells | |
• More physiologically relevant pharmacological responses • Models a more complex in vivo environment | • Expensive • Cultures are challenging | |
• In vivo • Some anatomical and physiological similarities • Allow proof of concept studies | • Some anatomical and physiological differences • Can be expensive and labour intensive with larger animal models | |
• In vivo • Interventions can be implemented at optimal time • Multiple therapies can be tested on the same biopsy | • Xenograft may not be representative of the original human cells in their native state • Results can be influenced by host’s physiology • Suboptimal surrogate of human immune system |
