ABSTRACT
Bones and teeth, which contain about 99% of the calcium in the body, are primarily dependent on this mineral for their strength and structure. The remaining body calcium is distributed between the extracellular fluid and various soft tissues, where it has a variety of regulatory functions. In the case of calcium research, albino rats are commonly used. When selecting a rat model, the researcher needs to carefully evaluate if the rat and the type of rat selected is the best model for the variables being tested. Particle size as well as the fermentability of the fiber source will also impact bioavailability. A review of the literature reveals that there is no consistency in the duration of calcium bioavailability studies. Studies involving radioisotopes are typically done using meal trained rats. Meal training requires several days for the rats to adapt to the total consumption of food in a short period of time.
