Modelling the Tumour Microenvironment, but What Exactly Do We Mean by “Model”?
The Oxford English Dictionary includes 17 definitions for the word “model” as a noun and another 11 as a verb. Therefore, context is necessary to understand the meaning of the word model. For instance, “model railways” refer to replicas of railways and trains at a smaller scale and a “model student”...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Cancers |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/15/3796 |
| _version_ | 1797587044450435072 |
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| author | Constantino Carlos Reyes-Aldasoro |
| author_facet | Constantino Carlos Reyes-Aldasoro |
| author_sort | Constantino Carlos Reyes-Aldasoro |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The Oxford English Dictionary includes 17 definitions for the word “model” as a noun and another 11 as a verb. Therefore, context is necessary to understand the meaning of the word model. For instance, “model railways” refer to replicas of railways and trains at a smaller scale and a “model student” refers to an exemplary individual. In some cases, a specific context, like cancer research, may not be sufficient to provide one specific meaning for model. Even if the context is narrowed, specifically, to research related to the tumour microenvironment, “model” can be understood in a wide variety of ways, from an animal model to a mathematical expression. This paper presents a review of different “models” of the tumour microenvironment, as grouped by different definitions of the word into four categories: model organisms, in vitro models, mathematical models and computational models. Then, the frequencies of different meanings of the word “model” related to the tumour microenvironment are measured from numbers of entries in the MEDLINE database of the United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. The frequencies of the main components of the microenvironment and the organ-related cancers modelled are also assessed quantitatively with specific keywords. Whilst animal models, particularly xenografts and mouse models, are the most commonly used “models”, the number of these entries has been slowly decreasing. Mathematical models, as well as prognostic and risk models, follow in frequency, and these have been growing in use. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:30:43Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-c2ebf76d9d4b4ea186a45f6719e55b6b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-6694 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T00:30:43Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Cancers |
| spelling | doaj.art-c2ebf76d9d4b4ea186a45f6719e55b6b2023-11-18T22:41:33ZengMDPI AGCancers2072-66942023-07-011515379610.3390/cancers15153796Modelling the Tumour Microenvironment, but What Exactly Do We Mean by “Model”?Constantino Carlos Reyes-Aldasoro0Department of Computer Science, City, University of London, London EC1V 0HB, UKThe Oxford English Dictionary includes 17 definitions for the word “model” as a noun and another 11 as a verb. Therefore, context is necessary to understand the meaning of the word model. For instance, “model railways” refer to replicas of railways and trains at a smaller scale and a “model student” refers to an exemplary individual. In some cases, a specific context, like cancer research, may not be sufficient to provide one specific meaning for model. Even if the context is narrowed, specifically, to research related to the tumour microenvironment, “model” can be understood in a wide variety of ways, from an animal model to a mathematical expression. This paper presents a review of different “models” of the tumour microenvironment, as grouped by different definitions of the word into four categories: model organisms, in vitro models, mathematical models and computational models. Then, the frequencies of different meanings of the word “model” related to the tumour microenvironment are measured from numbers of entries in the MEDLINE database of the United States National Library of Medicine at the National Institutes of Health. The frequencies of the main components of the microenvironment and the organ-related cancers modelled are also assessed quantitatively with specific keywords. Whilst animal models, particularly xenografts and mouse models, are the most commonly used “models”, the number of these entries has been slowly decreasing. Mathematical models, as well as prognostic and risk models, follow in frequency, and these have been growing in use.https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/15/3796tumour microenvironmentmodel organismin vivo modelin vitro modelmathematical modelcomputational model |
| spellingShingle | Constantino Carlos Reyes-Aldasoro Modelling the Tumour Microenvironment, but What Exactly Do We Mean by “Model”? Cancers tumour microenvironment model organism in vivo model in vitro model mathematical model computational model |
| title | Modelling the Tumour Microenvironment, but What Exactly Do We Mean by “Model”? |
| title_full | Modelling the Tumour Microenvironment, but What Exactly Do We Mean by “Model”? |
| title_fullStr | Modelling the Tumour Microenvironment, but What Exactly Do We Mean by “Model”? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Modelling the Tumour Microenvironment, but What Exactly Do We Mean by “Model”? |
| title_short | Modelling the Tumour Microenvironment, but What Exactly Do We Mean by “Model”? |
| title_sort | modelling the tumour microenvironment but what exactly do we mean by model |
| topic | tumour microenvironment model organism in vivo model in vitro model mathematical model computational model |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2072-6694/15/15/3796 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT constantinocarlosreyesaldasoro modellingthetumourmicroenvironmentbutwhatexactlydowemeanbymodel |