A proposed transpositional acupoint system in a mouse and rat model

In acupuncture, the specificity of the point and the reproducibility of the location of the point are prerequisite to the specificity and reproducibility of research involving acupuncture stimulation. The transpositional method, which locates animal acupoints (AAs) on the surface of animal skin corresponding to the anatomic site of a human acupoint, has been generally adopted for research modeling. However, there remains a lack of consensus on the specific location of AA among researchers. The potential problems that the discrepancy in acupoint locating methods causes include the attempt to compare research results. This report is a conceptual study that calls attention to the problems of inconsistency in AA location, and proposes a transpositional 121 AA system in a mouse and rat model. Further discussion, and the establishment of reproducible transpositional AA systems, will prompt further quantitative research and exchange of scientific ideas. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.