Animal model

The use of the pig as an animal model for the study of treatments and strategies for prevention of human diseases has been consolidated in recent years and it has produced remarkable results in the field of biomedical research.

To date, for example, different tissues of porcine origin, (skin, heart valves, blood vessels, bone, etc.) are regularly used for human transplantation even in the absence of specific studies which evaluate the physiology or the potential risk of disease transmission to human. 
 

The pig has also been used as a model for diabetes, alcoholism, peptic ulcer, and studies of liver transplantation. The kidneys of swine are similar to humans in number, size and structure  which makes the pig an excellent model to study obstruction of the kidney and  reflux neuropathy.

In the field of dermatology, pigs have been used to study wound healing, plastic surgery procedures and human melanomas. Furthermore, pigs have been used as models in toxicology and pharmacology.