Assistant Laboratory Animal Technician (ALAT) Practice Exam

Why might a researcher choose to use inbreeding?

1. To minimize genetic disorders

2. To create genetically similar animals

3. To enhance growth rate

4. To increase diversity within a population

The correct answer is: To create genetically similar animals

A researcher might choose to use inbreeding primarily to create genetically similar animals, which is essential for maintaining consistent experimental results. Inbreeding reduces genetic variation and produces offspring that are more phenotypically and genotypically uniform. This uniformity can be crucial in studies where the effects of specific treatments or interventions need to be evaluated without the confounding influence of genetic variability. By ensuring that the animals share a similar genetic background, researchers can more accurately determine the effects of their experimental conditions. The approach helps in establishing pure strains or lines, which can have defined traits useful for research purposes. This practice is particularly vital in fields such as genetics, where specific traits can be traced and analyzed more effectively in a controlled environment, leading to more reliable and reproducible findings. Other options, while relevant in certain contexts, do not align with the primary intent of inbreeding as effectively as the creation of genetically similar animals.