Model organisms (invertebrates)

Invertebrate model organisms represent an invaluable tool for the biology of aging research. They possess a number of advantages over vertebrate models in aging studies, including short lifespan, small size (a key advantage for large-scale lifespan investigations), ease of propagation, transparent bodies, and powerful genetics. These organisms also present advantages as simplified animal models enabling the study of individual processes. Studies using invertebrate models to investigate the biology of aging have primarily used the nematode worm Caenorhabditis elegans and the fruit fly Drosophila melanogaster. In this chapter, we the relative benefits and challenges in using these models as well as the tools these organisms contribute to aging research. Finally, a number of other invertebrate models have been developed, each with its own key advantages. These other invertebrate models are described in the third part of this chapter along with research done in these systems in the biology of aging.