Rats:
The common name for the genus Rattus.
JoVE General
A Video Demonstration of Preserved Piloting by Scent Tracking but Impaired Dead Reckoning After Fimbria-Fornix Lesions in the Rat
Department of Neuroscience, Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge
In a piloting scent tracking task, the ability of the rats to return to a refuge with food using visual an odor trail or using dead reckoning in infrared light, the integrated record of previous movements, demonstrates that the hippocampus is necessary for dead reckoning.
JoVE General
Use of Rotorod as a Method for the Qualitative Analysis of Walking in Rat
The rotorod test is used to assess motor status in the walking movement of hemi-Parkinson analogue rats.
JoVE Neuroscience
Rapid Determination of the Thermal Nociceptive Threshold in Diabetic Rats
1Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Wright State University, 2Human Movement Laboratory, Universidade São Judas Tadeu
Here, we describe a rapid reliable and simple procedure to determine the lowest temperature at which rats or mice show nocifensive behavior, i.e. the thermal nociceptive threshold (TNT). This method applies a slowly increasing thermal stimulus allowing precise and reproducible estimation of TNTs with minimum, if any, stress to the animals.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Acute and Chronic Tactile Sensory Testing after Spinal Cord Injury in Rats
1Center for Brain and Spinal Cord Repair, School of Allied Medical Professions, The Ohio State University, 2Spinal Cord Research Center, Drexel University College of Medicine
We describe two tactile sensory testing methods for acute or chronic periods of spinal cord injury in rats. These validated procedures can detect the development and maintenance of allodynia-like sensations.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Operation in Rats
1Department of Surgery, University Hospital Zürich, 2Zürich Centre for Integrative Human Physiology, University of Zürich, 3Institute of Veterinary Physiology, Vetsuisse Faculty, University of Zürich, 4Imperial Weight Centre, Department of Investigative Medicine, Imperial College London
Numerous studies using gastric bypass rat models have been recently conducted to uncover the underlying physiological mechanisms of Roux-en-Y gastric bypass operations. This article aims to demonstrate and discuss the technical and experimental details of our published gastric bypass rat model to understand advantages and limitations of this experimental tool.
JoVE General
Induction and Monitoring of Adoptive Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity in Rats
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine (UCI)
Delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) is an inflammatory reaction mediated by CCR7- effector memory T (TEM) lymphocytes. Here we demonstrate how to activate antigen-specific TEM cells, induce adoptive DTH in Lewis rats and monitor the inflammatory response.
JoVE Neuroscience
A General Method for Evaluating Incubation of Sucrose Craving in Rats
Department of Psychology and Program in Behavioral Neuroscience, Western Washington University
Responding for food or drug-paired cues increases over the course of a period of abstinence and this may relate to an increased susceptibility to relapse behaviors. Here we detail a procedure for evaluating this "incubation of craving" in rats that have self-administered sucrose.
JoVE Neuroscience
A Novel Method for Assessing Proximal and Distal Forelimb Function in the Rat: the Irvine, Beatties and Bresnahan (IBB) Forelimb Scale
Department of Neurological Surgery, University of California, San Francisco
Here we will describe a rodent behavioral assay that can detect recovery of both proximal and distal forelimb function including digit movements during a naturally occurring behavior that does not require extensive training or deprivation to enhance motivation.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Orthotopic Aortic Transplantation: A Rat Model to Study the Development of Chronic Vasculopathy
1University Heart Center Hamburg, Transplant and Stem Cell Immunobiology Lab (TSI), University Hospital Hamburg, 2Stanford University School of Medicine
This video demonstrates the orthotopic aortic transplant model as a simple model to study the development of transplant vasculopathy (TVP) in rats.
JoVE Bioengineering
Bioluminescence Imaging for Assessment of Immune Responses Following Implantation of Engineered Heart Tissue (EHT)
1Transplant and Stem Cell Immunobiology Lab (TSI) and CVRC, University Hospital Hamburg, University Heart Center Hamburg, 2Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology and Toxicology, University Heart Center Hamburg, 3CT Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine
This video demonstrates the use of in vivo bioluminescence imaging to study immune responses after implantation of Engineered Heart Tissue (EHT) in rats.
JoVE General
The Method of Rodent Whole Embryo Culture using the Rotator-type Bottle Culture System
1Division of Developmental Neuroscience, United Centers for Advanced Research and Translational Medicine (ART), Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine, 2The Core Research for Evolutional Science and Technology (CREST), Japan Science and Technology Corporation (JST)
Whole embryo culture technique allows us to culture mouse and rat embryos ex vivo condition during limited periods corresponding to midgestation stages. In this video protocol, we demonstrate our standard procedures of rat whole embryo culture after E12.5 using the rotator-type bottle culture system.
JoVE Neuroscience
A Procedure for Studying the Footshock-Induced Reinstatement of Cocaine Seeking in Laboratory Rats
Psychology, University of Toronto Scarborough
Animal models of relapse, known as reinstatement procedures, have been used extensively to study the role of stress in relapse to drug seeking. Here, we report on a method for inducing the reinstatement of cocaine seeking in laboratory rats via acute exposures to mild, intermittent electric footshock.
JoVE Neuroscience
Rodent Stereotaxic Surgery and Animal Welfare Outcome Improvements for Behavioral Neuroscience
1Department of Neuroscience, Section Anatomy, University Medical Center Groningen, University of Groningen, 2Animal Welfare Office, University of Groningen
Stereotaxic surgery on rodents allows for targeted administration of drugs or electrical stimulation and recordings in awake, behaving animals. In this video presentation we will demonstrate recent procedural refinements to this long-standing procedure that successfully improved survival rate and reduced post-surgical weight loss.
JoVE General
Manual Restraint and Common Compound Administration Routes in Mice and Rats
1Insourcing Solutions, Charles River, 2Research Models and Services, Charles River
Working safely and humanely with research rodents requires a core competency in handling and restraint methods. This article will present the basic principles required to safely handle and effectively administer compounds to mice and rats.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Creation of Reversible Cholestatic Rat Model
Department of General Surgery, Providence Hospital and Medical Centers
Cholestasis is a clinical condition commonly encountered by both surgeons and gastroenterologists. Creation of a reversible cholestatic rat model can be challenging in view of the smaller size and unique hepatopancreatobiliary anatomy in rats. This video article demonstrates the creation of a reversible cholestatic model.
JoVE General
Laser-Induced Chronic Ocular Hypertension Model on SD Rats
Glaucoma is one of the major causes of blindness in the world. Elevated intraocular pressure is a major risk factor. Laser photocoagulation induced ocular hypertension is one of the well established animal models. This video demonstrates how to induce ocular hypertension by Argon laser photocoagulation in rat.
JoVE General
Drawing Blood from Rats through the Saphenous Vein and by Cardiac Puncture
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine (UCI)
Blood draws are necessary in a large number of studies, for example to study the pharmacokinetics profile of a compound. Here, we demonstrate how to draw blood from rats using two techniques: blood draw from the saphenous vein or by cardiac puncture.
JoVE Neuroscience
Targeted Training of Ultrasonic Vocalizations in Aged and Parkinsonian Rats
1Department of Surgery-Division of Otolaryngology, University of Wisconsin, 2Department of Communicative Disorders, University of Wisconsin
Voice disorders are debilitating in aging and Parkinson disease. The ultrasonic vocalizations of rats, also affected by these conditions, can be used to study these voice disorders, their neural substrates, and the nature of functional recovery with behavioral intervention.
JoVE General
Ovariectomy and 17β-estradiol Replacement in Rats and Mice: A Visual Demonstration
Ovariectomy and subsequent replacement of 17β-estradiol by means of silastic capsules and peroral Nutella are demonstrated in rats and mice.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Angiogenesis in the Ischemic Rat Lung
The lung is perfused by both the systemic bronchial artery and pulmonary arteries. In most lung pathologies, it is the smaller systemic vasculature that shows robust neovascularization. Cessation of pulmonary blood flow promotes brisk bronchial angiogenesis. We provide surgical details of inducing left pulmonary artery ischemia that promotes bronchial neovascularization.
JoVE Neuroscience
Kinematics and Ground Reaction Force Determination: A Demonstration Quantifying Locomotor Abilities of Young Adult, Middle-aged, and Geriatric Rats
1CullenWebb Animal Neurology & Ophthalmology Center, Riverview, NB, 2Department of Clinical Neurosciences, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 3Department of Comparative Biology and Experimental Medicine, University of Calgary, 4Department of Neuroscience, University of Calgary
Locomotion is often examined as a behavioural outcome in various models of disease in fields such as neuroscience and orthopedics. This video paper intends to describe a method for collecting ground reaction forces and kinematics from rats during unrestrained locomotion.
JoVE Neuroscience
Stereotaxic Surgery for Excitotoxic Lesion of Specific Brain Areas in the Adult Rat
1Helen Wills Neuroscience Institute, University of California Berkeley, 2Office of Laboratory Animal Care, University of California Berkeley, 3McGovern Institute for Brain Research & The Department of Brain and Cognitive Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 4Integrative Biology Department, University of California Berkeley
Targeted ablation of specific brain region(s) by infusion of an excitotoxin using stereotaxic coordinates is described. This technique could also be adapted for infusion of other chemicals into the rat brain.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
A Low Mortality Rat Model to Assess Delayed Cerebral Vasospasm After Experimental Subarachnoid Hemorrhage
1Department of Neurosurgery, SUNY Upstate Medical University, 2Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, SUNY Upstate Medical University
Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is bleeding that occurs into the subarachnoid space when an aneurysm ruptures. While the morbidity and mortality from this event has been on a decline due to improved treatment approaches, the risk of vasospasm after subarachnoid hemorrhage continues to be the same as it was several years ago. The importance of establishing a comprehensive and reproducible animal model to identify initiating events of cerebral vasospasm has been the focus of research since the first use of rats in an experimental vasospasm model in 1979 by Barry et al. Early work in rats demonstrated that a single injection of autologous blood into the cisterna magna led to acute (within minutes) but not delayed cerebral vasospasm 3, 6, 14. Here we characterize a low mortality SAH rat model that results in reproducible delayed vasospasm.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Surgical Procedures for a Rat Model of Partial Orthotopic Liver Transplantation with Hepatic Arterial Reconstruction
1Institute for Laboratory Animal Science and Experimental Surgery, RWTH-Aachen University, 2Department of Hepato-Biliary-Pancreatic Surgery and Transplantation, Graduate School of Medicine, Kyoto University
Orthotopic liver transplantation in rats is an indispensable experimental model for biomedical research. Here we present our surgical procedures for orthotopic rat liver transplantation with hepatic arterial reconstruction using a 50% partial graft.
JoVE General
The Ladder Rung Walking Task: A Scoring System and its Practical Application.
Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge
The ladder rung walking task is a new test to assess skilled walking and measure both forelimb and hindlimb placing, stepping, and inter-limb co-ordination.
JoVE Neuroscience
The Vermicelli and Capellini Handling Tests: Simple quantitative measures of dexterous forepaw function in rats and mice
1Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, 2Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin, 3Department of Neurology, University of Florida, 4Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, 5Department of Neuroscience, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida
The Vermicelli and Capellini Handling Tests of forepaw dexterity take advantage of the natural inclination of rodents to manipulate food items using skillful forepaw and digit movements. Animals are videotaped while handling short strands of uncooked dry pasta. Slow motion video playback allows for the quantification of forepaw adjustments.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Hyperinsulinemic-Euglycemic Clamp in the Conscious Rat
1Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Calgary, 2Faculty of Kinesiology, University of Calgary
The hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp is the "gold standard" for the assessment of insulin action. Insulin is infused at a constant rate stimulating glucose uptake. The amount of exogenous glucose infused to counter this drop is indicative of insulin sensitivity. Here the procedure is performed on a conscious, unrestrained rat.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Human Internal Mammary Artery (IMA) Transplantation and Stenting: A Human Model to Study the Development of In-Stent Restenosis
1University Heart Center Hamburg, TSI-Lab, Germany, 2Cardiovascular Research Center, University of Hamburg, 3Department of Medicine, Cardiology Division, Pulmonary Hypertension Program, University of Alberta, 4Department of Medicine, Stanford University School of Medicine, 5Department of Biomedical Sciences, Institute of Physiology, Pathophysiology, and Biophysics, University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna, 6Translumina GmbH, Hechingen, 7Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine
This video shows a model to study the development of intimal hyperplasia after stent deployment using a human vessel (IMA) in an immunodeficient rat model.
JoVE Neuroscience
Focal Cerebral Ischemia Model by Endovascular Suture Occlusion of the Middle Cerebral Artery in the Rat
Surgical induction of ischemic brain damage in the rat is a widely used model for stroke research. Here we demonstrate the induction of focal cerebral ischemia by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery. Visualization of the resulting infarct by histological staining and magnetic resonance imaging is also shown.
JoVE Neuroscience
Assessment of Ultrasonic Vocalizations During Drug Self-administration in Rats
1College of Pharmacy, Division of Pharmacology and Toxicology, University of Texas at Austin, 2The Waggoner Center of Addiction and Alcohol Research, University of Texas at Austin, 3Department of Psychology, University of Michigan, 4Institute for Neuroscience, University of Texas at Austin, 5Department of Psychology, University of Texas at Austin
Drug self-administration and ultrasonic vocalizations (USV) are used as behavioral assessments in animal research, but rarely in combination. The purpose of this article is to describe the advantages of recording USVs during drug self-administration procedures to assess affective responses to drug experience.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Acute Myocardial Infarction in Rats
1Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Cardiology, University of Texas Medical Branch, 2Department of Pharmacological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, College of Pharmacy, University of Houston (UH), Texas Medical Center
The rat model of acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is useful to study the consequence of a MI on cardiac pathophysiological and physiological function.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Chronic Constriction of the Sciatic Nerve and Pain Hypersensitivity Testing in Rats
School of Medical Sciences, University of New South Wales
Due to the simplicity of surgery and the robust behavioural outcome, chronic constriction of the sciatic nerve is one of the pre-eminent animal models of neuropathic pain. Within 24 hrs following surgery, pain hypersensitivity is established and can be quantitatively measured using a von Frey aesthesiometer (mechanical test) and plantar analgesia meter (thermal test).
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Non-invasive Imaging of Acute Allograft Rejection after Rat Renal Transplantation Using 18F-FDG PET
1Department of Internal Medicine D, Experimental Nephrology, University of Münster, 2Department of Nuclear Medicine, University of Münster, 3European Institute for Molecular Imaging, University of Münster
We herein present a rat renal transplantation model to non-invasively assess acute allograft rejection using positron emission tomography with 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Utilizing a Cranial Window to Visualize the Middle Cerebral Artery During Endothelin-1 Induced Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion
1Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida, 2Department of Neurosurgery, McKnight Brain Institute, University of Florida, 3Department of Anatomical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
This article describes a method for visualizing rat cerebral arteries through a cranial window using temporal craniectomy in order to view proximal portions of the middle cerebral artery (Figure 1). This versatile method can be combined with various techniques of drug delivery to measure cerebral artery reactivity in vivo.
JoVE General
Preparing T Cell Growth Factor from Rat Splenocytes
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine (UCI)
We describe the preparation of T cell growth factor used for the in vitro expansion of antigen-specific rat T lymphocyte lines.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Biomarkers in an Animal Model for Revealing Neural, Hematologic, and Behavioral Correlates of PTSD
1Department of Psychiatry, Center for the Study of Traumatic Stress, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland, 2Department of Gene and Protein Biomarkers, GenProMarkers, Inc.
We describe a rat model of post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) that reveals the persistent alterations in neuroendocrine function and the delayed long-term, exaggerated fear response, characteristic of PTSD patients. The animal model and methods described here are useful for correlating biomarkers in brain nuclei, which are mechanistic but cannot be measured in patients, with biomarkers in peripheral white blood cells, which can.
JoVE Neuroscience
A Fully Automated and Highly Versatile System for Testing Multi-cognitive Functions and Recording Neuronal Activities in Rodents
The Neurosciences Institute, San Diego, CA
In this report, we present a fully automated and highly versatile system capable of simultaneously testing multi-cognitive behaviors and recording neuronal activities for rodents.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Stem Cell Transplantation Strategies for the Restoration of Cognitive Dysfunction Caused by Cranial Radiotherapy
Department of Radiation Oncology, University of California Irvine
Brain tumor patients routinely undergo cranial radiotherapy, and while beneficial, this treatment often results in debilitating cognitive dysfunction. This serious unresolved problem has at present, no clinical recourse, and has driven our efforts to devise stem cell based therapies for the recovery of radiation-induced cognitive decrements.
JoVE Immunology and Infection
Experimental Endocarditis Model of Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) in Rat
1Department of Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, 2Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Experimental rat endocarditis model due to methicillin-resistant S. aureus.
JoVE Neuroscience
Peering into the Dynamics of Social Interactions: Measuring Play Fighting in Rats
Department of Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge
Play fighting in the rat involves attack and defense of the nape of the neck, which if contacted, is gently nuzzled with the snout. Because the movements of one animal are countered by the actions of its partner, play fighting is a complex, dynamic interaction. This dynamic complexity raises methodological problems about what to score for experimental studies. We present a scoring schema that is sensitive to the correlated nature of the actions performed. Two experiments illustrate how these measurements can be used to detect the effect of brain damage on play fighting even when there is no effect on overall playfulness. That is, the schema presented here is designed to detect and evaluate changes in the content of play following an experimental treatment.
JoVE General
Induction and Clinical Scoring of Chronic-Relapsing Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis
Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of California, Irvine (UCI)
This video demonstrates the induction and clinical scoring of an animal model of multiple sclerosis: chronic-relapsing experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis in DA rats. The disease, induced by immunizing rats with an emulsion containing whole rat spinal cord and complete Freund's adjuvant, presents clinical signs resembling the human disease.
JoVE Neuroscience
The Dig Task: A Simple Scent Discrimination Reveals Deficits Following Frontal Brain Damage
Department of Psychology, Southern Illinois University at Carbondale
In this protocol, a novel application of scent discrimination is described. The Dig task is a reasonably inexpensive task that can be used to assess frontally-mediated cognition following brain damage.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Femoral Arterial and Venous Catheterization for Blood Sampling, Drug Administration and Conscious Blood Pressure and Heart Rate Measurements
Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Michigan State University
Chronic catheterization of blood vessels in the rat is often required for administration of substances, obtain blood sample over a period of time or for direct conscious blood pressure measurements. Femoral arterial catheterization of the rat and corresponding measurements of blood pressure in the conscious animal will be demonstrated.
JoVE General
Rat Mesentery Exteriorization: A Model for Investigating the Cellular Dynamics Involved in Angiogenesis
1Department of Biomedical Engineering, Tulane University, 2Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Virginia, 3Center for Stem Cell Research and Regenerative Medicine, Tulane University
This article describes a simple model for stimulating angiogenesis in the rat mesentery. The model produces dramatic increases in capillary sprouting, vascular area and vascular density over a relatively short time course in a tissue that allows en face visualization of entire microvascular networks down to the single cell level.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Endothelin-1 Induced Middle Cerebral Artery Occlusion Model for Ischemic Stroke with Laser Doppler Flowmetry Guidance in Rat
1Department of Neurosurgery, University of Florida, 2Department of Anatomical Sciences, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran, 3Department of Physiology and Functional Genomics, University of Florida, 4Department of Neurology, University of Florida
Several animal models of cerebral ischemia have been developed to simulate the human condition of stroke. This protocol describes the endothelin-1 (ET-1) induced middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) model for ischemic stroke in rats. In addition, important considerations, advantages, and shortcomings of this model are discussed.
JoVE General
The Structure of Skilled Forelimb Reaching in the Rat: A Movement Rating Scale
Canadian Centre for Behavioural Neuroscience, University of Lethbridge
The skilled reaching scale divides the movement by a forelimb in a reach for food act into composite elements each of which are evaluated with a three-point scale. The rating scale is described for a normal rat and can be applied toward evaluating neurological motor disorders.
JoVE General
Imaging In-Stent Restenosis: An Inexpensive, Reliable, and Rapid Preclinical Model
1Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Stanford University School of Medicine, 2Stanford University School of Medicine
This video demonstrates how to use a preclinical inexpensive and reliable model to study pathobiological and pathophysiological processes of in-stent restenosis development. Longitudinal in vivo monitoring using OCT (Optical Coherence Tomography) and analysis of OCT images are also demonstrated.
JoVE Neuroscience
Recording and Analysis of Circadian Rhythms in Running-wheel Activity in Rodents
1Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, 2Center for Studies in Behavioral Neurobiology, Department of Psychology, Concordia University
Circadian rhythms in voluntary wheel-running activity in mammals are tightly coupled to the molecular oscillations of a master clock in the brain. As such, these daily rhythms in behavior can be used to study the influence of genetic, pharmacological, and environmental factors on the functioning of this circadian clock.
JoVE Clinical and Translational Medicine
Multi-modal Imaging of Angiogenesis in a Nude Rat Model of Breast Cancer Bone Metastasis Using Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Volumetric Computed Tomography and Ultrasound
1Department of Medical Physics in Radiology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany, 2Unit of Chemotherapy and Toxicology, German Cancer Research Center, Heidelberg, Germany
In the pathogenesis of bone metastasis, angiogenesis is a crucial process and therefore represents a target for imaging and therapy. Here, we present a rat model of site-specific breast cancer bone metastasis and describe strategies to non-invasively image angiogenesis in vivo using magnetic resonance imaging, volumetric computed tomography and ultrasound.
JoVE Bioengineering
Manufacturing Devices and Instruments for Easier Rat Liver Transplantation
1Transplantation Division, Department of Surgery, University of Geneva Hospitals, 2Department of Surgery, University of Pavia, 3Department of Surgery, University of Geneva, 4Division of Abdominal Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Geneva Hospitals
We describe the design of the “quick-linker” device for easier orthotopic rat liver transplantation.
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