Implementation of a manual for working with wobbler mice and criteria for discontinuation of the experiment.
Mouse breeding is of importance to a whole range of medical and biological research. There are many known mouse models for motor neuron diseases. However, it must be kept in mind that especially mouse models for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis develop severe symptoms causing intense stress. This article is designed to summarize conscientious work with the wobbler mouse, a model for the sporadic form of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. This mouse model is characterized by a degeneration of α-motor-neurons leading to head tremor, loss of body weight and rapidly progressive paralysis. Although this mouse model has been known since 1956, there are no guidelines for breeding wobbler mice. Due to the lack of such guidelines the present study tries to close this gap and implements a manual for further studies. It includes the whole workflow in regard to wobbler mice from breeding and animal care taking, genotyping and phenotype analysis, but also gives some examples for the use of various neuronal tissues for histological investigation. Beside the progress in research a second aim should always be the enhancement of mouse welfare and reduction of stress for the laboratory animals.
Institute of Anatomy, Department of Cytology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
Bastian
B
Ott
Institute of Anatomy, Department of Cytology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
Carolin
C
Dahlke
Institute of Anatomy, Department of Cytology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
Karl
K
Meller
Institute of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
Markus
M
Napirei
Department of Molecular Biology and Genetics, Neurogenetics, University of Aarhus, C.F. Møllers Allé 3, 8000 Aarhus, Denmark.
Thomas
T
Schmitt-John
Institute of Anatomy, Department of Anatomy and Molecular Embryology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
Beate
B
Brand-Saberi
Institute of Anatomy, Department of Cytology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany. Electronic address: carsten.theiss@rub.de.
Carsten
C
Theiss
Institute of Anatomy, Department of Cytology, Ruhr-University Bochum, Universitätsstraße 150, 44801 Bochum, Germany.
Darius
D
Saberi
D000690:Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis / Q000235:genetics* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000523:psychology; D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000827:Animal Welfare; D000818:Animals; D001947:Breeding; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D018450:Disease Progression; D005838:Genotype; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008370:Manuals as Topic; D051379:Mice; D008818:Mice, Neurologic Mutants / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*; D009046:Motor Neurons / Q000473:pathology; D010243:Paralysis / Q000473:pathology; D010641:Phenotype; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000517:prevention & control; D014202:Tremor / Q000209:etiology / Q000235:genetics; D015431:Weight Loss; D057188:Workflow
Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis; Animal care; Criteria for discontinuation; PCR; Wobbler