Handling and Blood Collection Mice  Gently grasp the loose skin on the back

(Mus musculus) and quickly transfer them to the new

 Animal Handling- how humans work with, cage.
respond to, and interact with animals within Tube Method (Tunnel Method)
their surroundings. This includes all species,  Gently guide the mouse into the tunnel
and all parts of production. with one hand while holding the tunnel
 Proper animal handling is an essential part with the other.
of good animal husbandry. It benefits the  Once the mouse enters the tunnel,
animals you care for and prevent stress for gently tilt it, and close your hands over
the animal. the tunnel.
How to handle a mice? Commercial Restrainer Method
 One-hand Method  Guide the mice towards the trap, then,
 Two-hand Method put the lock.
 Forceps Method  TAIL VEIN
 Tube Method
 Commercial Restrainer Method 
Handling (One-hand Method) FLAT
1. Grasp animal at base of tail; remove
animal from cage and place on top of
wire lid.
2. With dominant hand, grab mouse at
base of tail; with non-dominant hand,
grab loose skin at base of neck (scruff).
3. Pick up mouse, cradling the animal in BOTTOM
the palm of your hand while anchoring
the tail with your pinky.
4. Then, place the mouse’s tail between the
last two fingers of the hand that is
holding the nape.
Handling (Two-hand Method)
1. Place the mouse on a rough surface
while holding the tail firmly.
2. Smooth surface will frighten the mouse
because it cannot get a foothold. This Blood Collection
may cause it to turn around and try to Collection of blood for laboratory animals is
bite in its attempt to escape. necessary for a wide range of scientific
3. Grasp the nape gently and firmly, research.
including both ears with your free It is important that the blood sample collection
hand and lift the mouse. should be least stressful.
Forceps Method (for quick transfer)  Tail Vein
 This technique is useful for fractious or  Orbital Sinus/plexus
aggressive animals.  Submandibular
 Saphenous Vein
 Tail clip
 thigh. The saphenous vein can be seen
Tail Artery / Vein (NICK) in this area.
1. Place the mouse in a restrainer or have 2. Apply a lubricant or shave the leg to
another person firmly restrain the prevent wicking. Place a tourniquet
animal. above the knee and enter the vein with a
2. Start midway up the tail and nick the 25 gauge needle.
artery or vein with a needle or lancet. 3. 🠶 Micro-hematocrit and microvette
3. You may collect blood with micro tubes may be used to collect the blood.
capillary tubes, a micropipette or various Tail Clip Bleed and/or Tail Biopsy for
microtainer. collection tubes. Move Genotyping
cranially 0.5 cm at a time applying 1. Place animal in approved animal
pressure after the bleed. restrainer.
Retro Orbital Bleeding 2. Remove any bedding material or feces
1. On an anesthetized mouse, secure the from the tail. The tail tip must be
head between the thumb and the disinfected with an approved
forefinger. The eye should protrude disinfectant (i.e. Betadine)
slightly. 3. Place the animal on a clean work
2. Using a hematocrit tube at the medial surface.
canthus of the orbit of the eyeball and 4. Using a fresh scalpel blade, cut 1-2 mm
gently direct the tube towards the back of the distal tail at an angle
of the eye socket and rotate it to perpendicular to the work surface.
puncture the sinus and collect the blood. FECAL COLLECTION
3. Following blood collection, hold the 1. Place individual animal in empty
eyelids closed to allow the punctured autoclaved cage.
blood vessel to clot and apply 2. Allow mouse/rat to defecate normally
ophthalmic ointment to the eye. and collect the first two fecal pellets
Submandibular bleed using a sterile toothpick.
1. Scruff the mouse firmly and be sure that URINE COLLECTION
the head is restrained. 1. Hold the rodent over a Petri dish or cup.
2. Align the lancet caudally to the 2. Manually apply pressure to the trans-
mandible and locate the hairless area on abdominal area.
the mouse (more easily seen in white
mice). The puncture site is slightly
behind this area.
3. Firmly insert the lancet perpendicular to
the face and collect the blood with a
tube.
4. Be careful not to cut too close to the ear,
it is possible to perforate the ear drum.
This is evident when the mouse begins
to bleed from the ear. If this happens, it
must be humanely euthanized.
Saphenous Vein
1. Place the mouse in a conical tube
and shave the caudal surface of the
RODENTS Evolutionary History
Latin word “rodere” meaning “to gnaw”. • Rodents are widely considered to have
Scientific Classification originate in Asia.
• First appear in the fossil record at the
end of the Paleocene and earliest
Eocene in Asia and North America about
54 million years ago
• The original rodents were descended
from rodent –like ancestor called
anagalids, which also give rise to the
Lagomorphs.
Characteristics
Rodents
 Rodents have a pair of open rooted
chisel-shaped incisors that are
incessantly growing.
 Rodents are relatively small having a
compact body and short legs.
 Range in size is much larger than that of
“mouse-like rodents” any mammalian order.
- rats, gerbils, hamsters, lemmings & voles  Largest rodent is about 50 kgs.
 1569 species approximately 7000 times larger than
 326 genera the tiny pygmy mouse, which weighs
 9 families only about 7 grams.
 69% of the total rodent species  Rodents are prolific breeders.
 ORDER RODENTIA: 33 FAMILIES, 481  Litter size ranges from 1 to 8 offspring
GENERA, 2277 SPECIES  naked mole: as many as 28 in a
Rodents single litter
 2 Most and 1 largest: E.g. 1 pair of mice can produce 500
 Diversified descendants in just 21 weeks.
 adaptable  Locomotion: Quadrupedal walking,
 group of mammals (43% of all running, burrowing, climbing,
mammals) bipedal hopping, swimming and gliding
 Found on all continents, except Antarctica,  Tails have various shapes and sizes, but
and in all habitats except the ocean. some vestigial tails or no tail
 Positive:  Sometimes tail is used for
 important in food webs and seed communication
dispersal  capable of regeneration in some
 provide significant ecological, dietary, species
aesthetic, and scientific values  well -developed senses: smell, hearing and
 Negative: as agricultural pest and vectors vision
of some diseases  Nocturnal species have enlarge eye
 Some are sensitive to ultraviolet light
 Have long sensitive whiskers or
vibrissae for touch
  Cecum and appendix are enlarge to store Most rodents ovulation occurs on a regular
the cellulose producing bacteria cycle, others are induced by mating
 Practice coprophagy  Birth
 In many species, penis contains a bone,  Rodents maybe born: Altricial or
the baculum. Testes can be located either Precocial
abdominally or at the groin.  Parenting
 Sexual dimorphism occur in many rodents  Direct and indirect parenting
 Cheek pouch  Alloparenting
 Use mainly for storage and transport  Communal nesting
of food. Other characteristics
 Female of some hamster species hide  Infanticide
their young in their cheek pouches to  Cannibalism
carry away when in danger  Feticide
 Other species of hamster fill their RODENTS AS LABORATORY ANIMAL
pouches with air allowing them Rodents, such as mice, rats, and guinea pigs,
to float better while they swim. are the most popular animal model
 One of the most robust patterns among used:
rodents is that the color of their dorsal Reason:
coat often matches the substrate on which  Genetic, biological and behavioral
they live, camouflaging them from visually characteristics closely resemble human
hunting predators.  Have fast reproduction
Habitat  Small size
 Live in many different places: from arid  Low cost
desert to arctic tundra  Easy to handle
 Arboreal
 Aquatic habitats MOUSE (Mus musculus)
 Semi aquatic habitat
 fossorial (burrows)
 Wetlands and rainforests
 On surface of the ground
 Some thrived in human created
environment (agricultural & urban areas)
Behavior
 Feeding
 Most are herbivores
 Carnivores (e.g. Australian water rat, COMMONLY USED MOUSE STRAINS
Shrewlike rats of the Philippines) • BALB/C
 Omnivorous ( Rats, Mice, Gerbil) • C57BL/6J
 Reproduction is divided into two forms: • DBA/2J
 Short gestation (17 to 45 days) • NOD.CB17-Prkdcscid/J
 Longer gestation period (60-238 days) • B6.129P2-Apoetm1Unc/J
 Mating system • NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ
 Monogamy • Smallest laboratory animal
 Hare-based mating system (polygyny)
 Promiscuous (promiscuity)
• Easy to keep, handle and require small place Common Diseases (mouse)
for housing, 1. Salmonellosis
• Uniformly breed Common strain Swiss 2. Ectromelia (mouse pox)
albino mice 3. Streptbacillus moniliformis infection
• Sensitive to small doses of drugs 4. Miscellaneous virus infection
• Mice are only known species in which it is 5. Worms (Taenia taenia-formis)
possible to grow totipotent embryonic
stem (ES) cells in vitro can form germ line Rat (Rattus norvegicus)
once re-injecting into a developing embryo.  Albino rat-most common laboratory
• Mice use their tail to help in animal.
thermoregulation. o Small size, great sensitivity to most
• Used for bioassay of insulin and screening drugs
of analgesics by chemically induced o Withstand long periods of
writhing method. experimentation under anesthesia
• Acute toxicity studies o Two inbred original strains of albino rats
• Screening of chemotherapeutic agents used are:
• Used in the testing of teratogenicity.  Wistar rat: wide head and the ear is
• It provides good model for research on long whereas tail length is less than
human diseases like cancer, diabetes, body length
ageing, atherosclerosis, immunological  Sprague Dawley rat: longer and
disease, autoimmune disorders, narrow head, tail is longer than the
neurological dysfunction and other body length
endocrine diseases.  Do not vomit (due to strong sphincter
between stomach and esophagus and lack
Handling and Restraint (Mice) vomiting center)
The animal should be grasped by the tail,  Do not have tonsil and gallbladder
preferably the proximal third and lifted clear of  Tail helps in thermoregulation
its cage. It should then be placed on a surface  Used in research of behavior,
such as a cage top. If gentle traction is pharmacology, physiology, neurosciences,
maintained on the tail, the animal will grip the immunogenetics, transplantation, cancer
cage top and attempt to pull away. risk assessment, cardiovascular diseases,
The scruff can be grasped between the thumb and aging
and forefinger whilst maintaining a grip on the  Various isolated tissues used are rat uterus,
tail. The animal is then secure and can be ileum, fundus strip, vas deference.
examined or injected safely.  For testing of psychopharmacological
 Intramuscular injections can be made into agents:
the quadriceps muscle groups on the  For assay of different hormones
anterior of the thigh.  Study of estrus cycle, mating behavior, and
 Subcutaneous injection can be made into lactation
the scruff of the neck. Care must be taken  Evaluation of anti-ulcer drugs
to direct the needle into the scruff and not  Study of analgesic drugs by radiant heat
into the handler’s finger or thumb. application on tail
 Intraperitoneal injections can be made  In toxicity studies, both acute and chronic
into the posterior quadrant of the  24-hour-old rat is physiologically similar to
abdomen. a 6-month-old infant, so it's used for
 evaluating drugs for infants of this age  Herbivorous and eats green foods, seeds,
group and roots. Guinea pigs are not able to
 For the study of liver physiology synthesize required daily vitamin C.
 Testing teratogenicity and carcinogenicity  Highly sensitive to histamine.
 Docile in nature and susceptible to
tuberculosis and anaphylactic shock.
 In this species, dopamine causes a fall in
blood pressure. Highly sensitive to
Handling and Restraint ( RAT) penicillin. Serum contains an enzyme,
 To initially restrain a rat, the handler asparaginase, which shows antileukemic
should gently grasp it around the action.
shoulders.  Various isolated tissues used are guinea pig
 The handler’s thumb can then be placed ileum, tracheal chain, vas deferens, and
under the rat’s mandible, to prevent uterus.
bites, and the rat’s hind limbs can be  Terminal portion of the ileum used for
supported with the other hand. screening of spasmodic and antispasmodic
Restraint should be firm but not agents.
too tight as this will  Ideal model for enteric amoebiasis,
impede the animal’s respiration. hypersensitivity, immune response,
 As with gerbils and hamsters, anaphylactic shock, encephalomyelitis,
intraperitoneal injections may be made tuberculosis, and ascorbic acid metabolism.
into caudal half of the abdomen with the  Its sensitive cochlea is suitable for hearing
needle directed along the line of the experiments.
hind limb.  Being docile in nature and more resistant to
Guinea pig (Cavia porcellus) hypoxia than rats and mice, suitable for
 Abyssinian Guinea pig experiments on oxygen consumption.
 Skinny pig Cage (Guinea pig):
 Werewolf skinny pig  Stock runs should be about 4x6 ft. and 1 ft.
 Teddy guinea pig 8 in high.
 White- crested guinea pig  One square foot of space should be allowed
 Texel guinea pig for each animal. Not more than 25 animals
 Peruvian Satin Guinea Pig should be kept in any one pen.
Guinea pig:  For experiments, animals, galvanized iron
1. Rectal temperature: 37.6-38.9°C cages are recommended and sterilized.
2. Normal respiration rate: 80 per minute  A convenient size of 14×9×8 in fitting in a
3. Pulse rate: 150 per minute tray 1.5 in deep.
4. Gestation period: 59-72 d (average 63d) Feeding (Guinea pig):
5. Weaning age: 14-21 days  A diet in pelleted form is recommended in
6. Mating age: 12-30 weeks preference to mashes.
7. Litters: 3 yearly average litter, 3  Diet of Bruce and Parks (1947) contains
8. Room temperature: 18.5-21°C balanced proportions of protein, fats, and
9. Humidity: 45% carbohydrates with added vitamins, salt,
10. Weight at weaning: 120g, adult: 200- and trace elements.
1000g  Crushed oats 2 parts + Broken bran 1 part.
 Supplemented with cabbage and hay.
 Necessary to add fish or meat meal. • Used in the testing of teratogenicity.
Handling and Restraint (Guinea pig) • It provides a good model for research on
• To initially restrain a guinea pig, the handler human diseases like cancer, diabetes, aging,
should be rapid and smooth, to avoid atherosclerosis, immunological diseases,
frightening the animal. autoimmune disorders, neurological
• The handler’s thumb is placed beneath the dysfunction, and other endocrine diseases.
jaw of the guinea pig. The hindquarters of Handling and Restraint (Hamster)
the guinea pig are supported by the 1. To initially restrain a hamster, the animal
handler’s other hand. can be placed beneath the palm of one
• Intraperitoneal injections are made into the hand.
lower half of the abdomen. 2. The hamster can then be restrained by
Common diseases (Guinea pig): the scruff starting with the skin near the
• Pseudo tuberculosis (acute or chronic) front of the shoulders.
• Abscesses in lymphatic glands 3. The scruff can be grasped between the
• Respiratory tract infections thumb and forefinger whilst maintaining
• Intestinal infections a grip on the tail. The animal is then
• Protozoan diseases (Coccidiosis, secure and can be examined or injected
Toxoplasmosis) safely.
• Viral diseases GERBIL (Meriones unguiculatus)
 Also known as sand rats or jirds. Their size
Hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus) lies between that of rats and mice.
Hamsters have chunky bodies with short legs,  Used as research animal in stroke. epilepsy
small fluffy tails, and large amounts of loose and heart diseases.
skin covered with dense short soft fur.  Useful in study of parasitic and bacterial
• Two species are commonly used: infections.
o Golden or Syrian Hamster- investigation  Used in auditory studies because hearing
in virology, cancer & nutrition research, curve is similar to that of humans.
genetic pharmacology, toxicology & Handling and Restraint (Gerbil)
reproductive physiology.  Never restrain gerbils by the tail as the skin
o Chinese Hamster- in research on of the tail is delicate and tends to tear
diabetes because there is a high easily. Gerbils should be cupped using one
incidence of diabetes mellitus due to or two hands, or can be scruffed.
deficiency of β cell or defective β cell.  Common routes for injection include the
Have low chromosomes as compared to intraperitoneal and subcutaneous routes. As
others so used in cytological with all small mammals, small hypodermic
investigation, genetics, tissue culture & needle should be used for injection and the
radiation research. volume of substance should be minimized.
• Presence of cheek pouch in hamsters makes Basic Requirement for Good Rodent
it useful for research in the field of Housing & Husbandry
immunology.  Housing in stable, compatible groups - it is
• Used for bioassay of insulin and screening important to consider sex, age, reproductive
of analgesics by chemically induced condition, familiarity, prior group housing
writhing method. experience when grouping the animals.
• Acute toxicity studies.  Enclosures designed to cause minimum
• Screening of chemotherapeutic agents. disturbance to the animals.
 Enough space for exercise, normal social • Lymphocytic chorio-meningitis
behavior (e.g. grooming, play) and the
provision of environmental enrichment.
 Enough height for rearing on the hind legs
for scanning, exploration, and play - around
o 12cm for mice,
o 18cm for gerbils and hamsters,
o 30cm for rats
 Solid floors with an adequate depth of an
appropriate substrate (e.g. 1cm depth of
dust-free woodchip for mice) for hygiene, COMMONLY USED MOUSE STRAINS
comfort and to permit foraging and digging
behavior. 1. BALB/cJ
 Material to gnaw Strain Common Name: BALB C Type: Inbred
 Refuges (e.g. nest boxes) for resting  Frequently used for a variety of
security, climbing exercise and for immunological studies, in part because
managing social interactions. they demonstrate TH2-biased immune
 Vertical barriers or tubes responses.
 Nesting material (e.g. soft paper or soft  Well known for the production of
wood or cardboard) plasmacytoma on injection with mineral oil,
 Appropriate lighting levels and regimes forming the basis for the production of
 A varied diet and the ability to forage. monoclonal antibodies.
 Minimization of extraneous noise and  Mammary tumor incidence is normally low,
ultrasound but infection with mammary tumor virus by
 Cleaning protocols, which balance hygiene fostering to MMTV+ C3H mice dramatically
with the need to retain some odour cues increases tumor number and age of onset.
(e.g. scent-marked nesting material) to  BALB/c mice develop other cancers later in
avoid stress and aggression. life, including reticular neoplasm, primary
 Gentle and frequent handling from early in lung tumors, and renal tumors.
life  Rare spontaneous myoepitheliomas arising
 Running wheels, activity disks and frames, from myoepithelial cells of various exocrine
ropes, string, and chains for climbing may glands have been observed in BALB/cJ mice.
also be beneficial for rodents. Characteristics
 Whenever enrichments are provided, these  Commonly develops ulcerative blepharitis
should be in sufficient number and at a and periorbital abscess
sufficient distance so that aggressive  Exhibits incomplete penetrance of callosal
competition is not triggered. agenesis
Diseases Directly Transmitted by Rodents  Exhibits spontaneous dystrophic cardiac
• Rat-bite fever calcinosis
• Hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome  Susceptible to pristane induced arthritis
• Leptospirosis  Exhibits TH-2-lymphocyte driven pulmonary
• Omsk hemorrhagic fever inflammation, a model for asthma
• Lassa fever  Susceptible to TMEV-induced
• Plaque demyelinating disease
• Hantavirus pulmonary syndrome
 Relatively resistant to diet-induced
atherosclerosis 3. DBA/2J
 Male mice are resistant to multi-dose Strain Common Name: D2 Type: Inbred
streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetes  DBA/2J is a widely used inbred strain that is
 Resistant to the induction of experimental valuable in several research areas including
allergic encephalomyelitis (EAE) cardiovascular biology, neurobiology, and
 Useful in vaccine development and studies sensorineural research.
of infectious disease  Its characteristics are often contrasted with
those of the C57BL/6J inbred strain, due to
their genetic disparity.
 Part of our unique Genetic Stability
2. C57BL/6 Program, which uses cryopreservation to
Strain Common Names: B6, Black 6, C57 Black limit genetic drift.
Type: Inbred  Aging DBA/2J mice develop progressive eye
 Most well characterized C57BL/6 sub-strain abnormalities that closely mimic human
 Genetically stable, ensuring reproducible hereditary glaucoma. Defects include iris
results pigment dispersion, iris atrophy, anterior
 most widely used inbred strain. Commonly synechia (adhesion of the iris to the cornea),
used as a general purpose strain, also used and elevated intraocular pressure. Retinal
for the generation of congenics carrying histopathology reveals a loss of retinal
both spontaneous and induced mutations. ganglion cells as well as GABAergic and
 DNA source for the first high quality draft cholinergic amacrine cells.
sequence of the mouse genome.  NK cells in DBA/2J mice are unique in that
 C57BL/6J is part of our unique Genetic they lack surface expression of
Stability Program, which uses CD94/NKG2A receptors due to a deletion
cryopreservation to limit genetic drift. More in the 3’ end of the Klrd1 gene. This ~2.4
than 90% of the world’s published kb deletion does not prevent transcription
references to C57BL/6 sub-strains refer to of the gene, but prevents translation and
the C57BL/6J substrain, which originates cell surface expression of the CD94 protein.
from The Jackson Laboratory. The deletion, which occurred sometime
Characteristics between 1984 and 1989, is homozygous
 Low susceptibility to tumors within our colonies, making DBA/2J mice
 High susceptibility to diet-induced obesity, naturally CD94 deficient.
moderate hyperglycemia & Key Features
hyperinsulinemia  Genetically disparate from C57BL/6J
 High susceptibility to diet-induced  Genetically stable, ensuring reproducible
atherosclerosis results
 High incidence of hydrocephalus and  Readily available
malocclusion Characteristics
 High incidence of microphthalmia and other  Severe high frequency hearing loss by 2-3
eye defects months of age
 Resistant to audiogenic seizures  Susceptibility to audiogenic seizures in
 Low bone density young mice
 Preference for alcohol and morphine  Hemolytic complement (C5) deficiency, due
 Late-onset hearing loss to Hc0 mutation
 Extreme intolerance to alcohol and triglyceride levels, as well as a decrease in
morphine high density lipoproteins (HDL).
 Low susceptibility to developing  ApoE is a component of low-density
atherosclerotic aortic lesions on an lipoprotein (LDL) and a subclass of HDL, and
atherogenic diet mediates high affinity binding to the LDL
receptors.
 ApoE is important in lipid metabolism due
to its involvement in transport into cells,
particularly the liver.
 The hypercholesterolemia exhibited by this
4. NOD. CB17- Prkdcscid/J mutation causes development of vascular
Strain Common Name: NOD scid atherosclerotic lesions in animals fed a
Type: Mutant Strain (Spontaneous Mutant) “normal” fat diet (4.5% fat, 0.022%
 These mice are homozygous for the severe cholesterol).
combined immune deficiency spontaneous  Vascular disease is progressive, beginning
mutation (Prkdcscid). They are both with localized accumulation of foam cells
insulitis- and diabetes-free throughout life causing vascular lesions (fatty streaks) in the
and serve as a diabetes-free control for aortic sinus by 3 months of age.
NOD/LtJ mice (Stock No. 001976).  By 9-10 months of age, vascular lesions are
 A high incidence of thymic lymphomas in large, confluent plaques that progress to
this congenic stock limits mean lifespan to the proximal ascending aorta, carotid
only 8.5 months under specific pathogen arteries, abdominal aorta, and iliac arteries.
free conditions. B6.129P2-Apoetm1Unc/J animals fed an
 Excellent hosts for xenografts, may be artherogenic diet (15.8% fat, 1.25%
useful for delineation of the role of T cell cholesterol) for 12 weeks have a
subsets in autoimmune diabetes, and can significantly accelerated progression of
serve as a source for insulitis-free islets. disease. For example, cholesterol cleft s and
 Genetically stable, ensuring reproducible calcification occur at 5-7 months, versus 10
results months in animals fed normal chow.
 Lack functional B cells and T cells and have  Model system for studying the progression
low NK cell activity and pathogenesis of atherosclerosis
 H2 Haplotype: g7  In vivo model to study lipid metabolism
Characteristics
 Lack functional T cells and B cells (exhibit 6. NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ
general lymphopenia) Strain Common Name: NOD-scid IL2Rγnull
 Defects in myeloid cell development Type: Congenic
 Poor antigen presenting cell (APC)  Superior human hematopoietic engraftment
 Significant human lymphoid expansion
5. B6.129P2-Apoetm1Unc/J  Newborn recipients do not require IL-7 for
Strain Common Names: ApoE-KO; apoE-; thymopoiesis
apoE0; epsilon-  Lack of NK activity improves quality and
 Knockout mice homozygous for the duration of xenografts
Apoetm1Unc mutation show a marked  Have severe combined immunodeficiency
increase in total plasma cholesterol and (Prkdcscid) and due to a knockout of Il2rg,
lack the common gamma chain (gamma
 c) receptor associated with multiple  It has been used extensively in toxicology
lymphoid-related cytokines. and pharmacology studies and is often
 Histological examination of lymphoid used for product safety testing.
tissues reveals absence of lymphoid cells  Origin: developed by Dr. T. S. left Fox Chase
and some cystic structures in the thymus, an a portion of his colony. Taconic received
absence of follicles in the spleen and breeder stock from Fox Chase in 1993. The
markedly diminished celluarity of lymph mice were derived by hysterectomy into
nodes. IBU? colonies and are maintained by Poiley
 Double mutants are deficient in mature rotational bred mice.
lymphocytes, serum Ig is not detectable and  Color: Albino
natural killer (NK) cell cytotoxic activity is
extremely low.
 These mice are resistant to lymphoma
development, even after sublethal 8. B6.SJL TRADITIONAL CONGENIC MICE
irradiation.  Genetically similar to the C57BL/6Boy strain
 Shown to readily support engraftment of except that it carries the Ptprca allele
human CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells (protein-tyrosine phosphatase, receptor
and represent a superior, long-lived model type c locus previously known as CD45.1,
suitable for studies employing long-term Ly5.1) and the Pep3b allele from the SJL/J
xenotransplantation. strain
Characteristics  The unique lymphocyte cell surface antigen
 Lacks mature lymphocytes (B and T cells) produced by Ptprca makes this strain useful
without leakiness for immunological adoptive transfer
 Lacks IL2R-γ (gamma c) expression experiments and useful as a background for
 Does not produce detectable serum transgenic and knockout models used in
immunoglobulin adoptive transfer studies
 Significantly diminished NK cell activity  Origin: developed by Boyse et al in 1975 by
 Resistance to lymphoma leads to longer intercrossing C57BL/6Boy mice to SJL/J
lifespan than that of NOD.Cg- Prkdcscid mice. Taconic received stock from the NIAID
mice Supports adoptive transfer of diabetic in 1995. The mice were derived by embryo
T cells without irradiation transfer into the NIAID Transgenic Mouse
 Superior ability to be humanized through Repository. The mice were backcrossed by
engraftment and differentiation of human Boyse to a C57BL/6Boy inbred background
hematopoietic stem cells into mature to select for SJL antigen type (now referred
human lymphoid and myeloid cells to as Ptprca or Ly5.1). Refreshed in 2007
 Superior for HIV and other infectious from NIAID stock.
disease research because of improved
lymphoid expansion 9. BALB/c nude SPONTANEOUS MUTANT
T-CELL DEFICIENT MICE
7. ICR Outbred Mouse  Foxn1nu mutation backcrossed to the
 Good reproductive performance and fast BALB/cAnN inbred strain for nine
growth rate generations
 Often used as an embryo donor and/or  Taconic maintains this valuable model at
recipient mother in transgenic mouse labs two health designations, Defined Flora from
gnotobiotic isolators (model #BALBNU) and
 Restricted Flora from Isolated Barrier 11. Swiss Webster (TRADITIONAL OUTBRED
UnitsTM (model #BALBNURF) utilizing MICE)
special husbandry and gowning procedures  Extensively used for decades as an all-
to protect the animals from opportunistic purpose stock for research and drug safety
organisms frequently carried by humans testing
 Deficiency in T cell function allows athymic  Often used as recipient mother in
mice to accept and grow xenografts as well transgenic labs due to its superior nurturing
as allografts of normal and malignant ability
tissues. Tissues from the BALB/c Nude can  Swiss Webster females are also ideal
be transplanted onto normal BALB/c mice. pseudopregnant recipients for embryo
 The autosomal recessive nude gene in transfers of black and agouti mouse lines
homozygous (nu/nu) mice causes the lack  Origin: Taconic received the Swiss Webster
of fur and an abnormal thymus. outbred model from the Rockefeller Institue
Heterozygous (nu/+) animals carry the through Rockland Farms Inc in 1940. The
recessive nude gene on one chromosome mice have been maintained as a closed
only and therefore have a normal thymus colony since 1951. The mice were derived
triggered immune system by caesarean from randomly chosen
 Origin: Taconic received the BALB/c Nude breeders and reintroduced into a Barrier
Spontaneous Mutant model from the NIH Nucleus Expansion Colony in 1965-1969.
Animal Genetic Resource in 1980. The mice The mice were derived by caesarian in 1983
were backcrossed eighteen generations. from randomly chosen breeders from all
The mice are maintained by incrossing non- Taconic's barrier units.
brother x sister mice. • Color: Albino
 Color: Albino
12.NMR (TRADITIONAL OUTBRED MICE)
10. CBA/J  Extensively used as an experimental animal
Type: Inbred in many fields of general biology as well as
 This widely used general purpose strain is in pharmacology and toxicology
the only CBA substrain that carries the  Commonly used as a control for selection
Pde6brd1 mutation, which causes blindness experiments
by wean age.  Develops a wide variety of spontaneous
 Renal tubulointerstitial lesions have been tumors and an increasing incidence of renal
observed in this strain at a high frequency. disease with age
Some CBA/J mice spontaneously develop  Origin: The NMRI outbred model was
exocrine pancreatic insuffi ciency syndrome. developed by Lynch et al. Poiley of the
Characteristics National Institutes of Health received stock
 Used to study granulomatous experimental from Lynch in 1937. The mice were inbred
autoimmune thyroiditis (G-EAT) as NIH/P1. The Naval Medical Research
 Relatively resistant to diet-induced Institute (NMRI) received stock from Lynch.
atherosclerosis Zentralinstitut für Versuchstierzucht in
 Develop a mild hearing loss late in life, with Hannover Germany (Han) received stock
most of the hearing loss occurring in the from NMRI. The mice were random bred.
higher frequencies. M&B A/S (now Taconic Europe) received
stock from Han in 1961 and again in 1985.
 The mice are maintained as an outbred
stock.
• Color: Albino
Other Rodents support the animal's body in your hands.
Place the thumb and index finger (of the
Rats (Rattus norvegicus) hand supporting the hind quarters) on the
Why rats? medial aspect of each hindleg.
 anatomical, physiological, and genetic
Injection site Location/Remarks
similarity to humans
o rats, mice, and humans each have Subcutaneous Scruff of neck
approximately 30,000 genes of which (s.c.)
approximately 95% are shared by all
Intramuscular Generally avoided as
three species
(i.m.) the muscle mass is
 small size, ease of maintenance, short life
small and it can be
cycle, and abundant genetic resources
difficult to hold the
Why rats, not mouse?
rat still
 Larger size facilitates surgical procedures
and other types of testing Intravenous Lateral tail vein
o Cardiovascular disease (i.v.)
(atherosclerosis) Intraperitoneal Right caudal quadrant
 More social and behavior better mimics (i.p.) of abdomen
behavior seen in humans; with larger brain
 behavioral studies
Restraining a rat for an intraperitoneal
 autism spectrum
injection:
 Cocaine addiction
1. The person restraining the rat should hold it
Common Strains
in dorsal recumbency for someone else to
 Sprague Dawley®
administer the injection.
 Long Evans
2. Gently pull the right hind limb away from
 Spontaneously Hypertensive
the body to expose the right caudal
 Wistar Kyoto
quadrant of the abdomen.
 Fischer 344
3. During the administration of the
 Brown Norway
intraperitoneal injection, the rat's body
Handling of Rats
position should be with the head pointing
1. Hold the rat gently but firmly around the
downwards to help keep the internal organs
shoulders with one hand: your thumb will
out of the way.
be behind one forelimb and your index
Diseases
finger between the shoulder and jaw on the
 Sialodacryoadenitis and Rat Coronavirus
other side. This prevents the rat from
Infection
struggling or biting. Support the hind
 Skin disorders (Barbering, Ringtail
quarters & weight with your other hand
Syndrome)
2. Note: To ensure the rat is held securely the
 Kidney and urinary (glomerulonephrosis;
handler's thumb is behind and under the
leptospirosis)
rat's forelimb whist the index finger is
 Generalized:
between the shoulder and jaw on the other
o Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus
side. The rat can then be carried safely to an
Infection
examination table.
o Parvovirus Infection
3. To restrain a rat for sexing: Gently tilt the rat
 Tumor (Mammary fibroadenomas)
backwards while continuing to hold and
Syrian Golden Hamster (Mesocricetus Injection site Location/Remarks
auratus)
Why hamster? Subcutaneous intrascapular or inguinal
 low cost (s.c.) areas
 small size Intramuscular quadriceps, caudal thigh
 ease of handling (i.m.) or epaxial muscles
 ability to accurately reflect disease Intravenous saphenous, cephalic,
progression in humans (i.v.) jugular, lateral tarsal,
Why Syrian hamster? penile or lingual vein
 ideal small animal model to study the Intraperitoneal Right caudal quadrant of
disease caused by virus infection (i.p.) abdomen
o highly pathogenic RNA viruses can also
infect, replicate and cause similar Diseases
pathological alterations and immune  Diarrhea (Proliferative ileitis)
responses in Syrian hamsters  Constipation (intestinal parasites)
o 70 viruses  Pinkeye
 cancer immunotherapy  Pneumonia
Manual restraint  Lymphocytic Choriomeningitis Virus
A. Cupping method (Arenavirus) Infection
B. First method: Grasp the hamster around  Pseudotuberculosis
the head and shoulders  T cell lymphoma
C. Second method: place your first and
second fingers on either side of the Anesthesia in Rodents
head, grasping the head with your A. Acclimation (72 hours to 1 week)
knuckles and positioning the forelegs of B. Fasting (not required)
the hamster between your adjacent C. Eye protection with ophthalmic ointment
fingers (e.g., Puralube® or Lacrilube®)*
D. Monitoring:
1. Anesthetic depth – toe pinch
2. Mucus membrane color
3. Respiratory rate and pattern
4. Body temperature
5. Oxygen saturation
6. Heart rate (specialized rodent pulse
oximeter)
A. Heat support
B. Fluid support
C. Recovery
Inhalant:

1. Drop jar
2. Induction chambers, facemasks, and
endotracheal tubes
- require gas anesthesia machines with an
oxygen source and a precision vaporizer
- Must be placed inside a fumehood
Barbiturate overdose 2. Long Evans TRADITIONAL OUTBRED RATS
 three times the calculated anesthetic dose  Also known as the Hooded rat
or 100mg/kg sodium pentobarbital  Used for neurological, toxicological and
intraperitoneally ophthalmologic studies
 confirm death:  Reported higher resistance to respiratory
1. cessation of chest movement problems than outbred albino rats,
2. no palpable heartbeat making the Long Evans rat the preferred
3. poor mucous membrane color stock for surgical procedures requiring
4. no response to toe pinch, and extended use of inhalant anesthetics.
5. color change/opacity of the eyes  Origin: developed by Dr. Long & Dr. Evans
**A physical method of euthanasia such as a in 1915 by intercrossing Wistar Institute
bilateral pneumothorax, cervical dislocation, or white female rats to wild grey male rats.
exsanguination is required before disposal of the Simonsen Laboratories received stock from
animal to confirm euthanasia the University of California Berkeley in
1949.The rats were derived by embryo
Pneumothorax euthanasia in Hamster transfer in 1975. The rats were derived by
1. Cut through the skin and muscle of the embryo transfer in August 1998 by Taconic
abdomen just below (caudal to) the  Color: Black-Hooded
thorax.
2. Lacerate the diaphragm with a sharp 3. Spontaneously Hypertensive
pair of scissors. TRADITIONAL OUTBRED RATS
Cervical dislocation in mice  Derived from the Okamoto-Aoki Strain
 Atlanto-occipital joint  Males exhibit average systolic blood
 When the spinal cord is severed, a 2-4 mm pressures greater than 200 mm Hg by 3-4
space will be palpable between the occipital months of age
condyles and the first cervical vertebra.  The SHR is generally used for studies in
hypertension and cardiovascular research
COMMONLY USED STRAINS OF RATS  Origin: The Spontaneously Hypertensive
outbred model was developed by NIH in
1. Sprague Dawley® TRADITIONAL 1966 from Wistar Kyoto outbred stock
OUTBRED RATS from Okamoto, Kyoto School of Medicine.
 Used in virtually all disciplines of biomedical Taconic received stock at F35 from the
research including toxicology & NIHAnimal Genetic Resource in 1972.The
pharmacology rats were derived by embryo transfer in
 Excellent reproductive performance makes 1984.
the SD rat a good model for generating
timed pregnant females 4. Wistar Kyoto TRADITIONAL OUTBRED
 Origin: The Sprague Dawley outbred model RATS
was developed by Sprague Dawley, Inc. NIH  Often used as the normotensive control for
received stock from Sprague Dawley, Inc in the SHR
1945. The rats are maintained as an outbred  Males exhibit systolic blood pressures of
closed colony. The rats were refreshed with 125 to 140 mmHg at 10 weeks of age
NIH Genetic Resource stock in 1998.  A partially inbred model (F10) which retains
 Color: Albino some residual heterozygosity
 Origin: NIH received the Wistar Kyoto  Origin: M&B A/S (now Taconic Europe)
inbred/outbred model as an inbred from received the Brown Norway inbred model at
the Kyoto School of Medicine in 1971. F90 from Zentralinstitut für
Taconic received stock at F10 from the NIH Versuchstierzucht in Hannover Germany
Animal Genetic Resource in 1974.The rats (Han). The rats were derived by embryo
were derived by caesarean in 1982 and are transfer in 2005 at Taconic US.
maintained as a randomly bred closed • Color: Brown Agouti
colony.
 Color: Albino

5. Fischer 344 TRADITIONAL INBRED RATS

 Used for cancer research, toxicology, and
aging studies.
 Inbred rat model of choice for the National
Toxicology Program’s Carcinogen Bioassay
Program and the National Institute of Aging
 Origin: Heston received stock from Curts of
Columbia University Institute for Cancer
Research in 1949. NIH received stock from
Heston in 1951. Taconic received axenic
breeders at F143 from the NIH animal
Genetic Resource in 1984. The rats were
refreshed at F173 by incrossing rats
received from the NIH Genetic Resource in
1997 to preserve genetic continuity. The
Taconic foundation colony was at F190 in
2005.
 Color: Albino

6. Brown Norway TRADITIONAL INBRED

RATS
 A well-defined inbred rat widely used for
immunology studies and for testing
autoimmune drug effects and
immunosuppressive drugs
 Used in autoimmune studies owing to its
susceptibility to several chemically induced
autoimmune syndromes such as
polyarthritis or T- helper cell autoimmunity
(using mercuric chloride or cyclosporin A)
 A model for male reproductive aging
physiology, transplantation immunology
and for studies of bone marrow cancer and
graft versus host diseases