A worldwide survey on the use of animal‐derived materials and reagents in scientific experimentation

Abstract

The use of cell and tissue-based methods in basic, applied and regulatory science has been increasing exponentially. Animal-derived components, including serum, coating materials, growth factors and antibodies are routinely used in cell/tissue cultures and in general laboratory practices. In addition to ethical issues, the use and production of animal-derived materials and reagents raises many scientific concerns, generally associated with presence of undefined components and batch-to-batch variability, which may compromise experimental reproducibility. On the other hand, non-animal materials and reagents, such as human cells, alternatives to animal sera or non-animal recombinant antibodies, are becoming increasingly available, and their use is encouraged by the EU Directive 2010/63 and the Guidance Document on Good In vitro Method Practices (GIVIMP), published by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). In an effort to map the current state of use of animal-derived reagents across different sectors and to identify the obstacles possibly hampering the implementation of non-animal derived alternatives, a global online survey addressed to scientists working on in vivo, in vitro, in silico methods, in academia as well as pharmaceutical or cosmetic companies, was conducted with the goal to understand: 1) the most commonly used animal-derived materials and reagents, 2) the main issues associated with the production and use of animal-derived materials and reagents, 3) the current level of knowledge on available non-animal alternative materials and reagents, and 4) what educational and information sources could be most useful or impactful to disseminate knowledge on non-animal alternatives. This paper provides an overview of the survey replies and discusses possible proposals to increase awareness, acceptance and use of non-animal ingredients.

Case Studies Exemplifying the Transition to Animal Component-free Cell Culture

“…Besides the ethical and animal welfare aspects, batch-to-batch variability, ill-defined composition, and the risk of pathogen transmission or an immune system reaction, all call for a transition to animal component-free methods. 14,15 Several factors influencing the successful transition to animal component-free culture Different types of serum replacements are available. Karnieli et al 16 suggested a consensus nomenclature for serum replacements and serum-free media.…”

“…Besides the ethical and animal welfare aspects, batch-to-batch variability, ill-defined composition, and the risk of pathogen transmission or an immune system reaction, all call for a transition to animal component-free methods. 14,15…”

Engagement of scientists with the public and policymakers to promote alternative methods

“…Science should also be communicated and disseminated to policymakers independently of the political and legislative agenda. The science of alternative methods is a complex topic with its own dilemmas, e.g., cell culture techniques commonly require the use of animal-derived materials that may be associated with animal suffering such as fetal bovine/calf serum, basement membrane extracts (e.g., Matrigel), antibodies obtained from ascites fluid, primary cells from animals, and other animal-derived products obtained by invasive sampling (van der Valk et al, 2018;Murphy et al, 2022;Gruber and Hartung, 2004;Cassotta et al, 2022). Communication activities build trust in the topic, make policymakers familiar with technical terms used by the scientific community, and build a relationship, but are challenged by recurring emergencies as policymakers (elected or non-elected) are increasingly crisis-driven.…”

An animal-free preclinical drug screening platform based on human precision-cut kidney slices

“…The objective of this study is therefore to implement the 3Rs in preclinical fibrosis research by establishing an animal-free drug screening platform for renal fibrosis based on human precision-cut kidney slices (PCKS) and by limiting the use of reagents that are associated with significant animal welfare concerns [ 3 ]. We anticipate that the introduction of this relevant human model for fibrosis research will have considerable impact on the reduction and replacement of animal tests in both academia and industry.…”