Volume 50 Issue 7, July 2021

Nonhuman primate (NHP) models, the most predictive preclinical models for human diseases and treatment outcomes, are in high demand and limited supply. There is a need for improved cryopreservation methods and routine storage of gametes and embryos, which are vital to protecting unique genetic models as well as providing resources for enhancing the genetic diversity of NHP colonies.

Tissue clearing methods let researchers see inside their animal models. However, there are a lot of options out there. Which to choose can depend on your question.

In this review, the authors describe how the use of touchscreen-equipped apparatus in behavioral sciences can facilitate the implementation of the 3Rs principles in this discipline and offer a new platform to monitor laboratory animal welfare.

Long et al. examined the gut microbiome of C57BL/6 mice from two production sites of three different vendors upon receipt, and as the mice adapted to the new vivarium at the University of Connecticut Health Center. Bacterial proportional abundance varied among mice from each vendor, and mice from all vendors exhibited changes in microbial profiles over time. These findings support the need to consider the microbiome as a potential source of variation in mouse studies.