Professor David Van Vactor provides a simple explanation for why researchers work with model systems (model organisms).
Transcript:
Model systems are convenient organisms that provide us with a very facile way of approaching detailed biologic questions - sharing many of the same attributes of our own biology, but yet amenable open to manipulations that we can’t really perform with humans.
Keywords:
model, systems, organisms, drosophila, conservation, function, david, van, vactor, biology,
A human is a complicated organism, and it is considered unethical to do many kinds of experiments on human subjects. For these reasons, biologists often use simpler “model” organisms that are easy to keep and manipulate in the laboratory.
Doctor Josh Dubnau explains that model systems are particular species of animals that substitute for humans or other animals. For genetic and historic reasons, the fruit fly is a commonly used model.