Comparative physiology and biomimetics in metabolic and environmental health: what can we learn from extreme animal phenotypes? – Published online 20/11/2025

Peter Stenvinkel, Peter Kotanko, Johanna Painer-Gigler, Paul G. Shiels, Pieter Evenepoel, Leon Schurgers, Barbara Natterson-Horowitz, Szilvia Kalogeropoulu, Joshua Schiffman, Richard J. Johnson

Metabolic disorders, including obesity, type 2 diabetes and CVD, are major health challenges and contribute to epidemics of non-communicable diseases. In this issue, Stenvinkel et al (https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-025-06611-3) explore how animals thriving under extreme environmental conditions, for example hibernating bears, deep-diving seals and remarkably long-lived species such as naked mole rats and Greenland sharks, serve as powerful natural models for advancing human metabolic and cardiovascular health. By examining their unique physiological adaptations to fasting, hypoxia, cold and nutrient scarcity, the authors reveal mechanisms that naturally regulate insulin sensitivity, prevent age-related decline and preserve organ function. These insights may inspire novel therapeutic strategies for obesity, type 2 diabetes and CVD, while providing clues for enhancing resilience in the face of climate change. However, the authors also acknowledge how rapid loss of biodiversity and accelerating environmental degradation threaten both these species and the scientific knowledge they embody. The authors advocate for a unified approach that combines biomimetic research with environmental conservation to protect planetary and human health alike. The figures from this review are available as a downloadable slideset.

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