Housing Gnotobiotic Mice in Conventional Animal Facilities
Citation
Lange, M.E., Uwiera, R.R.E., Inglis, G.D. (2019). Housing Gnotobiotic Mice in Conventional Animal Facilities. Current protocols in mouse biology, [online] 9(1), e59. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/cpmo.59
Plain language summary
Gnotobiotic mice are an established, robust model utilized in current research
to study host-microbiota interactions. For years isolators have been used to rear
germ-free and gnotobiotic mice. However, isolators can be costly and the segregation
of treatments within the same isolator is problematic. Recently, methodologies
for housing germ-free mice in specially designed individually ventilated
cages (IVCs) operated under barrier mode have been developed; however, this
equipment is costly and its operation in barrier mode for research involving
germ-free mice and pathogens is not permissible under modern biosafety
and biosecurity regulations. This article describes a method to house germfree
mice in a commonly available conventional IVC system operated under
containment mode. This technique allows researchers to maintain the germfree
or gnotobiotic status of mice tested up to 4 weeks with weekly handling
while working with pathogens using each IVC as a separate experimental unit.
Abstract
Gnotobiotic mice are an established, robust model utilized in current research to study host-microbiota interactions. For years isolators have been used to rear germ-free and gnotobiotic mice. However, isolators can be costly and the segregation of treatments within the same isolator is problematic. Recently, methodologies for housing germ-free mice in specially designed individually ventilated cages (IVCs) operated under barrier mode have been developed; however, this equipment is costly and its operation in barrier mode for research involving germ-free mice and pathogens is not permissible under modern biosafety and biosecurity regulations. This article describes a method to house germ-free mice in a commonly available conventional IVC system operated under containment mode. This technique allows researchers to maintain the germ-free or gnotobiotic status of mice tested up to 4 weeks with weekly handling while working with pathogens using each IVC as a separate experimental unit. © 2019 Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada.