University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB, Canada.
University of Florida, Gainesville, FL, USA.
Comp Biochem Physiol B Biochem Mol Biol. 2020 Dec;250:110483. doi: 10.1016/j.cbpb.2020.110483. Epub 2020 Jul 24.
This review serves as an introduction to a Special Issue of CBP focused on the use of reductionist approaches to explore questions in comparative biochemistry and physiology of animals. An overarching goal for research is to provide new insight and knowledge to advance the field. The significance of the research is dependent upon utilizing the most appropriate approach to get the most reliable data, which requires being knowledgeable about the experimental system and its limitations. It is not a trivial task to decide which level of biological organization is best suited to answer the question of interest, because each choice is a balance between strengths and weaknesses. Reporting caveats and limitations is perceived to detract from the definitiveness and value of a study, and so these are typically avoided, or included begrudgingly to appease a reviewer. Reductionist approaches are most valuable when the results can be translated to other biological levels of organization, providing physiological context for the work. Such extensions must also be accompanied by the appropriate assumptions and caveats arising from both the experimental system or its translation to higher levels of biological organization. In preparing this review, we seek to encourage authors to share the weaknesses and caveats in their approaches, and address the challenges associated with demonstrating the relevance of a reductionist approach to higher levels of organization.
这篇综述是 CBP 特刊的介绍，重点介绍了使用简化方法来探讨动物比较生物化学和生理学中的问题。研究的总体目标是提供新的见解和知识，以推进该领域的发展。研究的意义取决于是否能够利用最合适的方法来获得最可靠的数据，这需要对实验系统及其局限性有深入的了解。决定哪个生物学组织层次最适合回答感兴趣的问题并非易事，因为每个选择都是在优势和劣势之间的平衡。报告注意事项和局限性被认为会降低研究的确定性和价值，因此通常会避免这些问题，或者为了迎合审稿人的要求而不情愿地提及。当研究结果可以转化为其他生物学组织层次时，简化方法最有价值，为研究工作提供生理学背景。这种扩展还必须伴随着从实验系统或其向更高层次的生物学组织的转化而来的适当假设和注意事项。在准备这篇综述时，我们希望鼓励作者分享其方法中的弱点和注意事项，并解决证明简化方法与更高层次组织相关性的相关挑战。
