Amphibians Used in Research and Teaching Dorcas P. O’Rourke

Amphibians have long been utilized in scientific research and in education. Historically, investigators have accumu-lated a wealth of information on the natural history and biology of amphibians, and this body of information is con-tinually expanding as researchers describe new species and study the behaviors of these animals. Amphibians evolved as models for a variety of developmental and physiological processes, largely due to their unique ability to undergo metamorphosis. Scientists have used amphibian embryos to evaluate the effects of toxins, mutagens, and teratogens. Likewise, the animals are invaluable in research due to the ability of some species to regenerate limbs. Certain species of amphibians have short generation times and genetic con-structs that make them desirable for transgenic and knock