For example, studies of Caenorhabditis elegans, a tiny roundworm, have provided a wealth of information on cellular differentiation, neural networks, meiosis, and programmed cell death. Studies of the fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, have significantly advanced our understanding of the mechanisms underlying Mendelian genetics.
过去一个世纪中对各种非哺乳类模式系统的研究充分说明了这一点。比如，对秀丽隐杆线虫（一种微型蛔虫）的研究为我们提供了大量关于细胞分化、神经网络、减数分裂和程序性细胞死亡的信息。对果蝇（黑腹果蝇）的研究极大地推进了我们队孟德尔遗传学基本机制的理解。