Mouse Cryopreservation Gaining in Popularity

JAX® NOTES Issue 515, Fall 2009

Researchers Cryopreserving Mouse Strains to Save Resources

The number of researchers realizing the many advantages of cryopreserving mouse strains is rising rapidly. To date, JAX has cryopreserved nearly 10,000 strains—some for internal investigators, some for external investigators, and some for distribution as JAX® Strains.

More JAX® Strains Available Than Ever

The number of orders for cryopreserved JAX® Strains is up 50% over last year! This mirrors the rapid increase in the total number of JAX® Strains that we distribute (more than 4,100 at last count). All of our cryopreserved strains are available as recovered mice, but many of them can also be purchased as cryopreserved embryos.

JAX® Sperm Cryo Method

To date, we have recovered more than 5,000 strains on 50 genetic backgrounds that were cryopreserved using the JAX® Sperm Cryo method, evidence of the reliability of this novel and unique method.

JAX® Sperm Cryo Kit

Investigators are now "doing it themselves" with the JAX® Sperm Cryo Kit, saving money and benefiting from our quality control checks and safe off-site storage. The fertilization rates of sperm cryopreserved in investigator's labs have been comparable to those obtained by JAX technicians.

The JAX Freeze Team

A group of JAX technicians, known as the JAX Freeze Team has been traveling to institutions across the country to cryopreserve mouse sperm on site. The team sends the cryopreserved sperm to JAX, where it is stored and quality control tests are conducted. Investigators also use this service to rederive strains to specified and opportunistic pathogen free (SOPF) status. To date, the team has cryopreserved and recovered more than 500 strains. The team can typically cryopreserve 120 or more strains in a week.

Read about Dr. Peter Mombaerts' use of our service to cryopreserve over 100 unique mouse strains.

JAX® Cryorecovery Service

The JAX® Cryorecovery Service helps researchers recover strains that either they or JAX has cryopreserved. Recovery is typically completed in nine to 11 weeks, and recovered mice are of specified and opportunistic pathogen free (SOPF) status.

JAX is continually improving its cryopreservation services and expanding its capabilities to serve the needs of the research community. A new importation isolation building is currently being constructed in Bar Harbor to provide greatly expanded space for reproductive services work and storage for cryopreserved germplasm.

To learn more about cryopreserving or rederiving your strains, or to ask questions of our technical information scientists, contact us at 1-800-422-6423, 1-207-288-5845, or jaxservices@jax.org.

Advantages of Using JAX® Cryopreservation Services

  • More cost-effective than breeding for seldom used strains
  • "Backs up" strains against unforeseen loss
  • Facilitates distributing strains to collaborators
  • Recovered strains are all SOPF
  • Safe off-site storage in three tanks in two locations
  • Limits genetic drift
  • Enables quick recovery and colony expansion