Animal model of human disease. Multiple myeloma.

Abstract

Animal models of spontaneous and induced plasmacytomas in some inbred strains of mice have proven to be useful tools for different studies on tumorigenesis and immunoregulation. Their wide applicability and the fact that after their intravenous transplantation, the recipient mice developed bone lesions, led in some instances to an incorrect use of the term myeloma for these neoplasms. They originate and grow as extramedullary plasmacytomas, mostly without involvement of the bone marrow. Therefore, they cannot be compared with the most frequent plasma cell malignancy in humans, the multiple myeloma (MM). A more appropriate model for MM is available in aging mice of the C57BL/KaLwRij strain.