A review of osteoporotic vertebral fracture animal models

Introduction: Osteoporotic vertebral fractures are a common outcome of osteoporosis, imposing a substantial economic burden. The development of reliable animal models is essential for advancing research. This review examines osteoporotic vertebral fracture models across various animal species. Methods: The review compares and analyzes the different approaches used to model osteoporotic vertebral fractures in experimental animals, synthesizing the existing design protocols. Results: Rats and sheep are the primary experimental animals utilized in vertebral fracture research. The predominant approach in model design remains the creation of bone defects to simulate vertebral fractures. The spontaneous fracture model is primarily applicable to small species, such as transgenic mice. Rabbits and zebrafish are not suitable for modeling vertebral fractures due to the low cancellous bone content in their lumbar. The bone loss in the lumbar cancellous bone of the dog osteoporosis model is minimal, making it unsuitable for fracture modeling. Conclusions: The bone defect model remains the most widely used approach for osteoporotic vertebral fractures. However, the stress compression model shows promise as a potential focal point for future investigations. © The Author(s) 2025.