The use of mice in biomedical research most frequently occurs at which level of biological organization?

• A. Ecosystem level
• B. Molecular level
• C. Population level
• D. Organismal level

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the levels of biological organization: Biological organization ranges from the smallest unit, the molecular level, to larger systems like ecosystems. The organismal level refers to individual living entities, such as a single mouse.
2. Consider the context of biomedical research: Biomedical research often involves studying the effects of treatments, diseases, or genetic modifications on individual organisms to understand their biology and physiology.
3. Relate the use of mice in research to the organismal level: Mice are used as model organisms in research because they represent individual entities whose responses to experimental conditions can be studied comprehensively.
4. Eliminate other options: The ecosystem level involves interactions between organisms and their environment, which is not the focus of most biomedical research. The molecular level focuses on molecules like DNA or proteins, and the population level involves groups of organisms, neither of which directly applies to the use of individual mice in research.
5. Conclude that the correct level of biological organization for the use of mice in biomedical research is the organismal level, as the studies are conducted on individual mice to understand their biological processes.