In vivo alternatives 

Murine models

They are considered the gold standard in preclinical research.

But they come with limitations (ethical, cost, operational) that raise a solid point: is it possible to use something else?

Ex vivo models

Skin, digestive tract, musculoskeletal tissue, and explants from cancer resections are taken from an organism and placed in culture.

Advantages: it reproduces very faithfully the real conditions and the variability of the population.

Combinatorial cell models

i.e. organoids, co-culture, a mixture of primary cells, and cell lines, etc. Many labs are creating new complex models every day. The idea is to use different cell types and means to induce cell differentiation.

Advantages: reproducibility and degree of complexity medium to high.

IPS models

Induced pluripotent cells can differentiate into complex cell lines that may be difficult to a culture otherwise.

Advantages: generate a cell type in large quantities, and access to genetic manipulations.

Primary cells

Directly from the organism and placed in culture, with varying degrees of growth efficiency.

Advantages: very little genetic modification, and access to population variability.

Here's our video!