Murine models of human colorectal cancer: Techniques and limitations

Murine models of colon carcinogenesis are an essential tool in understanding the mechanisms of pathogenesis and to evaluate therapeutic and preventive measures. Over the years considerable changes in the understanding of the murine models of human colon cancer has resulted in numerous models being reported in the literature. The reports of colon cancer transgenic mice were followed by human xenograft heterotopic murine models. With the orthotopic tumor models being found to be more relevant in portraying the human disease process as opposed to heterotopic models, many techniques for making orthotopic colorectal murine models were reported. Although all of these models have their advantages and limitations, the latest orthotopic murine models seem to accurately represent and replicate the human disease process. We discuss the different human colon cancer murine models, their background, the technique of creating them along with their advantages and limitations. This extensive overview and details of an array of different resources in this field offers the researchers a wide choice to choose a model which is more applicable to the type of study being planned.