Animal Models of Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD)

Animal models of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) are essential preclinical platforms designed to replicate the pathological spectrum of human ALD, ranging from simple hepatic steatosis to steatohepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. These models enable controlled investigation of disease mechanisms under defined ethanol exposure regimens.

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Key Pathological Features

These models recapitulate hallmark features of ALD, including macro vesicular steatosis, hepatocyte ballooning, neutrophil infiltration, oxidative stress, pro-inflammatory cytokine release (TNF-α, IL-6), and activation of hepatic stellate cells leading to extracellular matrix deposition.

Preclinical Research Applications

In drug development and mechanistic studies, ALD animal models are widely used to evaluate novel therapeutic candidates, such as antioxidants, anti-inflammatory agents, and modulators of lipid metabolism. They also facilitate investigation of molecular pathways, including inflammasome activation, autophagy dysregulation, and epigenetic modifications during ALD progression.

Animal Models of Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD)

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