Comprehensive healthspan assessments and influence of sex as a biological variable in aging rats

Abstract

Rats share a significant amount of genetic and physiological similarity with humans. Many biological processes and pathways are conserved between rats and humans, making rats a suitable model for studying various aspects of human health and disease. Using rats as an aging model offers a more ethical alternative to using larger, longer-lived animals like primates. Rats are easier to handle in laboratory settings, as compared to non-human primates, both of which have physiological functions like humans. To date, there are very few studies which have comprehensively studied age-related changes in rat physiology. Here we present a longitudinal assessment of several aspects of Brown-Norway rat physiology and histopathology using molecular and functional assessments at 6-, 17- and 27 months of age. Our studies thus provide age-related healthspan parameters, which can be used as reference for genetic or pharmacological rat models of aging.