ObjectiveTo summarize the common mouse models and the latest research progress in the basic research of colorectal cancer, introducing advantages, disadvantages and applications of these various models, provide references for the researchers in the selection of mouse models for their experiments.MethodRetrieved the related literatures from databases including PubMed, Web of Science, CNKI and WanFang, and after reading the literatures, different methods were sorted out, analyzed and summarized.ResultsThe mouse models commonly used in colorectal cancer research include the cell-derived xenograft (CDX), patient-derived xenograft (PDX), chemical reagent-induced tumor in situ, transgenic mice (ApcMin/+ mice), tumor cells derived from mice themselves were inoculated to the normal mice, and models of colorectal metastatic tumors (including liver, lung, abdomen and bone metastases, etc.). The CDX model cost shorter time to establish, and the PDX model restored the authentic phenotype of the tumor in patients, but the tumor were both colonized under the skin of nude mice, which lacked authenticity tumor microenvironment. The colorectal cancer in mice induced by chemical reagents and genetically engineered mice imitated the development of colorectal tumor in the situ intestine of mouse, but both of them were time-consuming. The model established by the tumor of mouse own was convenient for basic immune research of colorectal cancer, but the disadvantage was the unreal tumor microenvironment. The colorectal cancer metastasis model was an essential model for the study of the mechanism and treatment in metastasis colorectal tumor, but its establishment required higher operating skills and required the image examination to determine the whether the metastasis tumor was successfully generated or not.ConclusionsDifferent mouse models of colorectal cancer have different emphases, advantages and disadvantages. Researchers need to make accurate selection according to the research purpose and design needs.