Recent models of sensitisation with prolonged airway allergen challenges reproduce typical features of chronic asthma.
In athletes who are atopic, have rhinitis, or have higher than normal levels of circulating immunoglobulin E (IgE), repeated injury repair of the airway epithelium is thought to create a model of 'passive sensitisation' of the bronchial smooth muscle and increase the risk for AHR.
Predominant IL-13 production after short term, but not after prolonged challenges has been seen in similar models of OVA sensitisation [5], [9].
Recently established murine models of allergen sensitisation followed by long term allergen challenges do not only lead to impaired lung function (similar to short term challenge models) but also to airway wall remodelling, a feature typical of chronic asthma.
Interestingly, evidence of Th1 responses with IFN-γ production has also been found recently in a murine model of chronic airway sensitisation [9].
Using a murine model of systemic allergen sensitisation we compared the consequences of short and long term airway allergen challenges during eight subsequent weeks, monitoring lung function, airway inflammation, features of airway wall remodelling and immune responses.
A behavioural sensitisation or kindling model has been proposed for suicidal behaviour, in accordance with a sensitisation model of depressive episodes.
As well as mimicking the common features of human OA joint pathology and associated pain behaviour, 21 22 the MIA model of OA also exhibits sensitisation of joint afferents.
Studies in both murine and human models proposed that the onset of sensitisation of the fetal immune system might be possible in utero [11] [13].
In the quinpirole sensitisation rat model of OCD, the model compulsive behavior is induced by repeated injections of quinpirole that result in sensitisation of DA receptors (Szechtman et al., 1998, 1999).
