Animal models for the investigation of the action of factors on bone metabolism

There is increasing interest from the world’s pharmaceutical industry in the problems of bone pathology, and many of the large companies and many smaller biotechnology companies have active bone research programmes. This chapter has been structured to encompass the requirements for both investigational (i.e. research) and preclinical assessment of factors with putative action (therapeutic or otherwise) on bone resorption or formation associated with bone modelling and remodelling. Models of fracture and repair of segmental defects are beyond the scope of this chapter. Investigational requirements centre around identification of an activity or validation of an activity identified in in vitro systems. Preclinical assessment centres around application of an activity to human disease. Under normal circumstances there is a progression from the investigational studies into preclinical assessment.