This review serves as an introduction to a Special Issue of Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, focused on using non-human models to study biomedical physiology. The concept of a model differs across disciplines. For example, several models are used primarily to gain an understanding of specific human pathologies and disease states, whereas other models may be focused on gaining insight into developmental or evolutionary mechanisms. It is often the case that animals initially used to gain knowledge of some unique biochemical or physiological process finds foothold in the biomedical community and becomes an established model. The choice of a particular model for biomedical research is an ongoing process and model validation must keep pace with existing and emerging technologies. While the importance of non-mammalian models, such as Caenorhabditis elegans, Drosophila melanogaster, Danio rerio and Xenopus laevis, is well known, we also seek to bring attention to emerging alternative models of both invertebrates and vertebrates, which are less established but of interest to the comparative biochemistry and physiology community.

这篇评论是对比较生物化学和生理学特刊的介绍，重点是使用非人类模型来研究生物医学生理学。模型的概念因学科而异。例如，几个模型主要用于了解特定的人类病理和疾病状态，而其他模型可能侧重于深入了解发育或进化机制。通常情况下，最初用于获取某些独特生化或生理过程知识的动物在生物医学界找到了立足点，并成为一个既定的模型。为生物医学研究选择特定模型是一个持续的过程，模型验证必须与现有和新兴技术保持同步。虽然非哺乳动物模型的重要性，例如Caenorhabditis elegans、Drosophila melanogaster、Danio rerio和Xenopus laevis是众所周知的，我们还试图引起人们对新兴的无脊椎动物和脊椎动物替代模型的关注，这些模型不太成熟，但对比较生物化学和生理学界很感兴趣。