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1538235 
Journal Article 
Laboratory Models Available to Study Alcohol-Induced Organ Damage and Immune Variations: Choosing the Appropriate Model 
El-Guindy, NBD; Kovacs, EJ; De Witte, P; Spies, C; Littleton, JM; de Villiers, WJS; Lott, AJ; Plackett, TP; Lanzke, N; Meadows, GG 
2010 
Yes 
Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research
ISSN: 0145-6008
EISSN: 1530-0277 
34 
9 
1489-1511 
WOS:000281220700001 
The morbidity and mortality resulting from alcohol-related
diseases globally impose a substantive cost to society. To minimize the financial burden on
society and improve the quality of life for individuals suffering from the ill effects of alcohol
abuse, substantial research in the alcohol field is focused on understanding the mechanisms by
which alcohol-related diseases develop and progress. Since ethical concerns and inherent
difficulties limit the amount of alcohol abuse research that can be performed in humans, most
studies are performed in laboratory animals. This article summarizes the various laboratory
models of alcohol abuse that are currently available and are used to study the mechanisms by
which alcohol abuse induces organ damage and immune defects. The strengths and weaknesses of each
of the models are discussed. Integrated into the review are the presentations that were made in
the symposium ""Methods of Ethanol Application in Alcohol Model-How Long is Long Enough"" at the
joint 2008 Research Society on Alcoholism (RSA) and International Society for Biomedical Research
on Alcoholism (ISBRA) meeting, Washington, DC, emphasizing the importance not only of selecting
the most appropriate laboratory alcohol model to address the specific goals of a project but also
of ensuring that the findings can be extrapolated to alcohol-induced diseases in humans. 
Animal Models; Acute and Chronic Alcohol Abuse; Immune Defects; Organ Damage