Alopecia Areata surgical model

Background Information

Alopecia Areata (AA) is a recurrent, progressive autoimmune disorder that causes hair loss in 1.7% of the human population. C3H/HeJ (000659) mice spontaneously develop AA at an incidence of approximately 0.25% by 18 months of age. Some investigators who have selectively bred C3H/HeJ mice for AA have reported an incidence rate of up to 20% by 18 months of age. AA is a complex polygenic trait in C3H/HeJ mice and is very similar to adult onset AA in humans; however the low penetrance of spontaneous AA has limited the availability of mice for research into possible treatments.


Figure 1. Oblique skin sections (A & B) showing an incursion of mononuclear cells, primarily CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes, in and around anagen stage (actively growing) hair follicles. At greater magnification these inflammatory cells can be seen between follicles and within the root sheaths. Longitudinal skin sections (C & D) confirm this condition which results in follicular dystrophy. Hair fibers produced by these follicles are structurally abnormal and break at the skin’s surface.

A New Surgically Induced Model of Alopecia Areata

Scientists at The Jackson Laboratory have demonstrated that alopecia areata can be surgically-induced by grafting a small piece of skin from an older, donor animal with AA onto a younger, isogenic C3H/HeJ recipient. Most recipients develop patchy AA in the 8-10 weeks following engraftment and generalized AA is evident at approximately 20 weeks. With the support of the National Alopecia Areata Foundation, we are proud to offer the first large-scale preclinical program for producing and screening mice with surgically-induced AA. Mice with generalized AA are now available for sale in limited quantities at a cost of $300 each (excluding applicable taxes and delivery fees) and can be shipped directly to you. All mice are 28 weeks or older and are specific pathogen free (SPF).

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JAX® In Vivo Services

Take advantage of JAX® In Vivo Services to enhance and support your AA research. Our Study Directors and highly trained staff have expertise in a variety of skin disorder models. Our In Vivo Services include custom screening of candidate therapeutic compounds for AA.  Our laboratory is adjacent to our animal facility and AA holding area, allowing low-stress animal transfer to the lab. We also offer custom histopathological analysis conducted by an expert, board-certified pathologist with decades of experience in skin disorders.

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Reference:

McElwee KJ, Boggess D, King LE Jr, Sundberg JP, 1998. Experimental induction of alopecia areata-like hair loss in C3H/HeJ mice using full-thickness skin grafts. J. Invest. Dermatol. 111: 797-803.

Author(s) in bold are from The Jackson Laboratory