02604nas a2200445   4500000000100000000000100001008004100002260001200043653001200055653002400067653002400091653002700115653001100142653001100153653001100164653000900175653001500184653001900199653001200218653000900230653001000239653002400249653001000273653002100283653001100304653002100315653002300336653002500359100002600384700002300410700002300433700002500456700003300481700002200514245007700536300001400613490000700627520151000634022001402144       2021                            d  c2021-0610aAnimals10aBiomedical Research10aComputer Simulation10aDisease Models, Animal10aEstrus10aFemale10aHumans10aMice10amicrobiota10aModels, Animal10aRabbits10aRats10aSheep10aSpecies Specificity10aSwine10aSwine, Miniature10aVagina10aVaginal Diseases10aVaginal microbiome10aVaginal tissue model1 aJennifer M. McCracken1 aGisele A. Calderon1 aAndrew J. Robinson1 aCourtney N. Sullivan1 aElizabeth Cosgriff-Hernandez1 aJulie C. E. Hakim00aAnimal Models and Alternatives in Vaginal Research: a Comparative Review  a1759-17730 v283 aWhile developments in gynecologic health research continue advancing, relatively few groups specifically focus on vaginal tissue research for areas like wound healing, device development, and/or drug toxicity. Currently, there is no standardized animal or tissue model that mimics the full complexity of the human vagina. Certain practical factors such as appropriate size and anatomy, costs, and tissue environment vary across species and moreover fail to emulate all aspects of the human vagina. Thus, investigators are tasked with compromising specific properties of the vaginal environment as it relates to human physiology to suit their particular scientific question. Our review aims to facilitate the appropriate selection of a model aptly addressing a particular study by discussing pertinent vaginal characteristics of conventional animal and tissue models. In this review, we first cover common laboratory animals studied in vaginal research-mouse, rat, rabbit, minipig, and sheep-as well as human, with respect to the estrus cycle and related hormones, basic reproductive anatomy, the composition of vaginal layers, developmental epithelial origin, and microflora. In light of these relevant comparative metrics, we discuss potential selection criteria for choosing an appropriate animal vaginal model. Finally, we allude to the exciting prospects of increasing biomimicry for in vitro applications to provide a framework for investigators to model, interpret, and predict human vaginal health.  a1933-7205