Nonobese diabetic mice, commonly known as NOD mice, are a strain of laboratory mice that spontaneously develop a form of type 1 diabetes mellitus. These mice have become an important animal model for studying the pathogenesis, prevention, and treatment of autoimmune diabetes.
The term "nonobese" is used to describe these mice as they do not exhibit an excessive accumulation of body fat, unlike other genetic strains. This feature distinguishes them from other commonly used obese mouse models. Nonobese diabetic mice share several genetic and immunological similarities with humans, making them an invaluable tool for scientists studying human diabetes.
The term "diabetic" indicates that these mice possess a genetic predisposition to develop diabetes. NOD mice exhibit progressive insulitis, an inflammation of the pancreatic islets, which ultimately leads to the destruction of insulin-producing beta cells. Consequently, NOD mice develop hyperglycemia and exhibit symptoms similar to those observed in humans with type 1 diabetes.
Nonobese diabetic mice have been instrumental in advancing our understanding of the complex mechanisms underlying the development and progression of type 1 diabetes. Research utilizing NOD mice has enabled the identification of various genetic and environmental factors influencing disease susceptibility and provided insights into the immune-mediated destruction of pancreatic beta cells.
Due to their relevance to human diabetes, nonobese diabetic mice have also been employed in preclinical studies to test potential therapeutic interventions, such as immunomodulatory drugs, pancreatic islet transplantation, and gene therapy. The insights gained from these studies using the NOD mouse model have contributed significantly to the development of improved treatment strategies for type 1 diabetes.
