Laboratory Rodents
Laboratory Rodents - Related Videos
04:49
A Do-it-yourself System for Scheduled Feeding of Laboratory Rodents in Their Home Cage
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2025
This paper details the design, assembly, and protocol for an automated feeding system along with an alternative lid and cage modification that can be implemented on standard rodent cages with minimal modifications for tethered optogenetic or fiber photometry experiments. The feeding system offers a cost-effective tool for timed feeding and/or caloric restriction.
14:12
Rodent Identification II
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2015
Source: Kay Stewart, RVT, RLATG, CMAR; Valerie A. Schroeder, RVT, RLATG. University of Notre Dame, IN Animal records must be accurately maintained to ensure that data collection is correct. Records range from maintaining information on cage cards to having a detailed database with all of the relevant information on each animal. The primary component of recordkeeping is the individual identification of research animals. There are a variety of methods suitable for identifying mice and rats. This...
12:13
Considerations for Rodent Surgery
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2016
Source: Kay Stewart, RVT, RLATG, CMAR; Valerie A. Schroeder, RVT, RLATG. University of Notre Dame, IN The Guide for the Care and Use of Laboratory Animals1 dictates that rodent survival surgery be performed aseptically. Aseptic technique utilizes specific practices that minimize the contamination of the surgical site, including patient preparation, surgeon preparation, sterilization of instruments and other supplies, and the use of a clean and controlled environment. Presurgical planning,...
10:29
Principles of Rodent Surgery for the New Surgeon
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Cited by 56 •
2011
Before attempting surgery, a new surgeon should have training in basic surgical techniques and concepts. This article will present basic surgical considerations with an emphasis on rodents.
01:34
Environmental Enrichment for Rodents
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2026
All animal procedures described here must be conducted in accordance with institutional animal ethics guidelines and approved by IACUC. All procedures must follow the principles of the 3Rs—Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement—and must be performed by trained personnel. Environmental enrichment involves objects and practices that encourage natural behaviors, improve psychological well-being, and promote better welfare in laboratory rodents. Environmental enrichment should be tailored to the...
FAQs
Defined genetic backgrounds help investigators attribute differences in immune or infection outcomes to the experimental variables being tested rather than to uncontrolled inherited variation. Standardized housing adds another layer of control by making environmental conditions more consistent among groups. Together, these features improve reproducibility and make it easier to relate a measured host response to pathogen exposure or immune stimulation.
Different readouts describe different parts of the response. Antibody production indicates a humoral response, while cellular immunity captures immune-cell activity; inflammation reflects a tissue-level response, and pathogen burden indicates how much infectious material remains. Measuring these outcomes together helps investigators distinguish immune activation from effective control of infection when evaluating disease mechanisms or treatment.
The experimental stimulus determines which biological question the model can address. Pathogen exposure is suited to studying infection progression and host-pathogen interactions, whereas an antigen or immune stimulus can focus attention on antibody production, cellular immunity, or inflammation. Comparing these approaches helps researchers align the model and measured outcomes with the intended scientific question.
An immunology or infection study with laboratory rodents typically begins by establishing a defined genetic and housing context, then applying the selected pathogen, antigen, or immune stimulus. Investigators subsequently measure antibody production, cellular immunity, inflammation, or pathogen burden. The resulting pattern is interpreted in relation to disease progression, immune protection, or treatment response.
For vaccine evaluation, researchers can examine whether an intervention is associated with immune protection and how that protection relates to measured antibody, cellular, inflammatory, or pathogen-burden outcomes. The model therefore supports more than a single endpoint: it can connect immune responses with infection-related consequences under controlled conditions, providing evidence relevant to vaccine research.
Antimicrobial research uses laboratory rodents to connect treatment with changes in infection-related outcomes. Measurements such as pathogen burden, inflammation, and immune responses can help characterize how treatment affects both the host and the infectious process. Because the model permits controlled exposure and standardized conditions, investigators can compare outcomes across experimental groups within a defined interpretive framework.
The main interpretive challenge is biological relevance: a reproducible result in a rodent model must be considered in relation to the disease or immune process being studied. Careful design is essential, including matching the exposure or stimulus and selected outcome measures to the research question. This approach supports more meaningful conclusions about host-pathogen interactions and human disease.