Biology and Physiology of
Laboratory Rodents
Bersényi, Andrásassistant professor
12th February, 2018
Landrace
Lab animal: animals specially bred for use in experiments
in facilities approved and registered by the authority - BIOMODELS
LAB ANIMALS in EU(EC, 2010)
fishfrogsbirdsruminantspigsrabbitsrodentshamstersguinea pigsratsmice
Mouse (M. musculus)
Taxonomy
Grandorder: Glires
Order: Rodentia (&Lagomorpha)
Suborder: Myomorpha
Family: Muridae
Genus & Species:
Mus house mouse (M. musculus)
Biology
I. Large Surface Area(20 g: 36 cm2)
Cold
Non-shivering thermogenesis
(thermoneutral zone: 30±0.5oC)
Heat
Non-true endotherm
(newborns!)
Ears vascularization
Conclusion: housing (20-25oC!), drinking water, bedding material
NO sweat glands; limited panting and
salivation shock!
II. Fast Heart and RespiratoryFrequency
(300-800/min.; 100-200/min.)
High erythrocyte count (9-10x1012/l),haemoglobin, blood O2 capacity,alveolar O2 pressure
Bohr-effect
III. Urinary System
Number of glomeruli, filtering surface,
volume of urine (4300 mOsm/l vs human
1160 mOsm/l)
Henle-loops, vasa recta
IV. Pheromones
Lee-Boot-, Whitten-, Bruce-effect
Mice in Research
BALB/cC57BL/6
Mice in Research
• Gerontology: short lifespan
• Genetics: high reproductive potential
(pregnancy: 19-21 days vs rat: 21-23 days)
• Oncology: tumor incidence &
histocompatibility
• Virology: susceptibility
• Toxicology
• Radiobiology: response & economics
Rat (R. norvegicus)
Taxonomy
Class: Glires
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Myomorpha
Family: Muridae
Genus & Species:Rattus Norwegian rat (R. norvegicus)
Biology
NO gall bladder & tonsils
Heat loss: sweat glands, tail vessels,
saliva on body
(mice: ear vessels)
Rats in Research
Wistar Sprague Dawley Long-Evans
Rats in Research
• Nutrition
• Toxicology
• Behaviour (stress)
• Inherited Diseases:
diabetes insipidus:
Brattleboro
Rats in Research
• Inherited Diseases:
retinal degeneration, microophtalmia,
epilepsy, deafness, obesity:
Zucker Diabetic Fatty (fa/fa)
Syrian/Golden Hamsters
(M. auratus)Chinese/striped back hamster (Cricetus griseus)
Taxonomy
Suborder: Myomorpha
Family: Cricetidae
Genus & Species:
Mesocricetus golden hamster (M. auratus)
History
Allepo, Syria (1930)
Biology
• black spot/sebaceous gland (males!)
I. Prolificacy(6 litters/year, 4-10 pups/litter)
inherited diseases
II. Freedom from SpontaneousDiseases
susceptibility to induced agents:influenza,
Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease
III. Anatomy & Physiology• Hibernation (2-3 days sleep + 12 hrs wakefulness):
hypotermia
• Cheek Pouch: transplantation
• Dentition: caries-inhibiting agents
• Respiratory Tract: chronic bronchitis
IV. Rapid Development(pregnancy: 15-17 days)
teratology
Other• pancreatic & renal tumor (+dog)
Chinese hamster
• Radiology
• Chromosomes (2n=22 vs 44):
in vivo cytogenetics
Gerbil (M. unguiculatus)
Taxonomy
Suborder: Myomorpha
Family: Cricetidae
Genus & Species:
Meriones Mongolian gerbil (M. unguiculatus)
Biology
• sebaceous glands (males!)
• short erythrocyte lifespan:
reticulocytes, basophil RBCs
• desert origin:
(thermoneutral zone (0-35oC vs mice),
water requirement, urine excretion)
• free of spontaneous diseases
• neurological research:
idiopathic epilepsy
• cholesterol metabolism:
obesity
atherosclerosis
Gerbils in Research
Guinea Pig (C. porcellus)
short-haired/English
roug-haired/Abyssinian (Ethiopian)
long-haired/Peruvian &
hairless
Taxonomy
Suborder: Hystricomorpha
Family: Caviidae
Genus & Species:
Cavia guinea pig (C. porcellus)
Biology
• 1 pair of nipples; fingers: 4/3
• Biorhythm: appr. 20 hours activity and
appr. 10 min. sleeping
• Coprophagy
- caecotrophy(rabbit; guinea pig; rat!)
• Kurloff cells (3-4%):
Foetus protection
Guinea Pigs in Research
• Scorbutus (L-gulonolactone oxidase)
• Easy to immunize: TBC, diphtheria,
leptospirosis, brucellosis
• Otology research (tympanic bullae)
Thank you for
your attention!
Experimental animals Lab animals
Landrace
YorkshireGöttingen
Directive (2010/63/EU): live non-human vertebrate animals, including:
independently feeding larval forms, and foetal forms of mammals
as from the last third of their normal development; live cephalopods
Experimental animal: vertebrate specimen used or to be used in
experiments
Lab animal: animals specially bred for use in experiments
in facilities approved and registered by the authority
Anatomy
Physiology
Behaviour