New Physiological Data Summaries Available for Many Popular JAX® Mice Strains

JAX® NOTES Issue 507, Fall 2007

We recently performed a comprehensive baseline characterization for the principal physiological phenotypes of many popular JAX® Mice strains. The data collected will be an invaluable reference for scientists worldwide, helping them select the most appropriate mouse models for their research.

The mean data for each strain are available from the JAX® Mice Database as PDF-formatted Physiological Data Summary pages (Figure 1. Sample Physiological Data Summary [Note: this links to the actual pdf document for 000664 Physiological Data Summary]). All raw data are available from the Mouse Phenome Database (MPD). The phenotypes and protocols for characterizing them are summarized below:

  • Body Weights. Many researchers use body weight as a basic indicator of mouse health and overall general condition, and sometimes as criteria for selecting the most appropriate strain for their studies. A minimum of 20 mice, all born within the same 3-day range, were individually marked at weaning, weighed the same day each week until 16 weeks of age, and fed a 6% fat diet from weaning to the end of the study.
  • Hematology Profiles. Knowing the cellular components of blood allows researchers to assess animal health. Hematology profiles, including white blood cell (WBC) count, red blood cell (RBC) count, hemoglobin concentration, hematocrit, mean cell volume (MCV), mean cell hemoglobin concentration (MCHC), platelet count, mean platelet volume (MPV), percent reticulocytes, reticulocyte hemoglobin content, reticulocyte count, percent neutrophils, percent lymphocytes, percent monocytes, percent eosinophils, percent basophils, neutrophil count, lymphocyte count, monocyte count, eosinophil count, and basophil count, were determined from a minimum of 10 mice of each sex, at both 8 and 16 weeks of age.
  • Serum Biochemistry. Many scientists use serum biochemistry as a primary health indicator and to investigate commonly found disease states. Serum biochemistry, including levels of albumin, total protein, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), calcium, phosphorus, cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDLC), triglyceride, free fatty acid, glucose, alanine transferase (ALT), creatine kinase (CK), and thyroxine (T4), were determined for a minimum of 10 mice of each sex, at both 8 and 16 weeks of age.
  • Organ Weights. In many toxicology studies, relative organ weights are used to assess the treatment effects of experimental drugs. At necropsy, weights (mg) and percentage of body weight for the brain, heart, liver, both kidneys, and spleen were determined from 5 mice of each sex, at both 8 and 16 weeks of age.
  • Body Composition. At necropsy, Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DEXA) was used to determine body composition, including bone mineral density and content, and lean and fat proportions, from 5 mice of each sex, at both 8 and 16 weeks of age.
  • Immunological profiles. At necropsy, spleens were removed, part of each was weighed, and flow cytometry was used to determine the average proportions of lymphoid and myeloid cells from 5 mice of each sex, at both 8 and 16 weeks of age.

All physiological and phenotypic data summaries can be accessed from our Most Popular JAX® Mice web page.