Animal Models for the Study of Osteoporosis

Osteoporosis (OP) is a widespread disease characterized by reduced bone mass and disruption of bone microarchitecture. The association of this chronic metabolic condition with increased skeletal fragility and vulnerability to fracture is well-established. Although OP is both preventable and curable, being a clinically silent disease, it goes undetected until it manifests in the form of a fragility fracture. These fractures are associated with significant morbidity and mortality among patients. More than 200 million people worldwide are currently suffering from OP, making this critical disease a major public health concern. Due to ongoing demographic changes, the medical and socioeconomic impact of OP is predicted to increase further. However, to date, the management of OP remains a challenge, which necessitates the need for further research to fully understand its molecular mechanism and to establish novel prevention strategies and more effective treatment approaches. Animal models of OP are used widely as appropriate tools to enhance knowledge about disease etiology as well as to do pre-clinical evaluation of treatment and prevention strategies. This chapter aims to overview the currently available well-established animal models of OP with a focus on the ovariectomized rat model for postmenopausal OP. The information provided may help researchers to select an appropriate model in accordance with their research objective.