The genus Cryptosporidium is composed of protozoan parasites that infect epithelial cells in the microvillus border of the gastrointestinal tract of all classes of vertebrates, and cause severe diarrheal disease in a variety of neonatal animals, children and immunocompromised persons. Establishment of Cryptosporidium infected animal models and its in vitro cultivation system have established a good foundation for characterizing life cycle stage, exploring immunological mechanism, developing vaccines, screening and evaluating potential drugs, as well as assessing oocyst inactivation techniques. This paper reviews recent development and application of the Cryptosporidium infected animal models and its in vitro cultivation.