Rabbits
One way the body fights infection is to form antibodies that attack foreign substances. Antibodies are used in research, for example, to determine which proteins are found in a sample or to diagnose disease.
Rabbits are important in the production of antibodies. A foreign substance is injected into the animal, which then forms antibodies. Researchers extract these from the rabbits´ blood. Compared to mice and rats, rabbits have more blood and hence produce more antibodies. This is one reason why scientists use rabbits. Sheep and goats are other animals used in the production of antibodies.
Rabbit eyes often react in the same way as human eyes and therefore are used in eye research. Chemicals and drugs can be tested on rabbits´ eyes or skin.
Text: Karin Nordin
References
- John Bräutigam, veterinarian, Swedish Board of Agriculture
- Helena Elofsson, Fil. Dr. Zoology, Swedish Board of Agriculture
- Anne Halldén Waldemarson, University veterinarian at Karolinska Institutet
- Torgny Jeneskog, University veterinarian at Umeå university
- Karl-Gustav Jacobsson, University veterinarian at Uppsala university
Responsible for content: Mats Ulfendahl, Secretary General of Medicine and health, Swedish Research Council.
Editor: Peter Tillhammar, Swedish Research Council. Contact: Send email to the editorial staff.
Editor: Peter Tillhammar, Swedish Research Council. Contact: Send email to the editorial staff.
