The laboratory rat was the first mammal domesticated for research purposes. It is descended from wild Norway rats, Rattus norvegicus, which despite their name likely originated in Asia. Exceptionally adaptable, these rodents now inhabit almost all environments on Earth, especially near human settlements where they are often seen as pests. The laboratory rat thrives in captivity, and its domestication has produced many inbred and outbred lines that are used for different purposes, including medical trials and behavioral studies. Differences between wild Norway rats and their laboratory counterparts were first noted in the early 20^th century and led some researchers to later question its value as a model organism. While these views are probably unjustified, the advanced domestication of the laboratory rat does suggest that resuming studies of wild rats could benefit the wider research community.

中文翻译：

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示范生物的自然历史：挪威鼠，从讨厌的害虫到实验室的宠物

实验老鼠是第一个为研究目的而驯化的哺乳动物。它来自挪威野生老鼠Rattus norvegicus，尽管它们的名字很可能起源于亚洲。这些啮齿动物具有极强的适应性，现在栖息在地球上几乎所有的环境中，尤其是在人类定居点附近，在那里人们经常将它们视为害虫。实验室鼠的繁殖能力很强，驯化后产生了许多近交系和近交系，可用于不同目的，包括医学试验和行为研究。野生挪威鼠和他们的实验室同行之间的差异在20年初首次注意到^日世纪，导致一些研究人员后来质疑其作为典范生物的价值。尽管这些观点可能是没有道理的，但对实验大鼠的先进驯化确实表明，对野生大鼠的恢复研究可以使更广泛的研究界受益。