Lab AnimalPub Date : 2024-11-15DOI: 10.1038/s41684-024-01472-6
Maria Victoria Gómez-Gaviro, Vicente Llorente
{"title":"In vivo optical tissue clearing using light-absorbing dyes","authors":"Maria Victoria Gómez-Gaviro, Vicente Llorente","doi":"10.1038/s41684-024-01472-6","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-024-01472-6","url":null,"abstract":"Optical tissue clearing allows high-resolution microscopy imaging of biological samples while retaining critical three-dimensional and structural information for research and diagnosis. Most methods can only be performed ex vivo on fixed tissues, but a new study claims to have found a technique that can render live tissue transparent.","PeriodicalId":17936,"journal":{"name":"Lab Animal","volume":"1 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142637549","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lab AnimalPub Date : 2024-11-15DOI: 10.1038/s41684-024-01476-2
Jan Lauwereyns, Jeffrey Bajramovic, Bettina Bert, Samuel Camenzind, Joery De Kock, Alisa Elezović, Sevilay Erden, Fernando Gonzalez-Uarquin, Yesim Isil Ulman, Orsolya Ivett Hoffmann, Maria Kitsara, Nikolaos Kostomitsopoulos, Winfried Neuhaus, Benoit Petit-Demouliere, Simone Pollo, Brígida Riso, Sophie Schober, Athanassia Sotiropoulos, Aurélie Thomas, Augusto Vitale, Doris Wilflingseder, Arti Ahluwalia
{"title":"Toward a common interpretation of the 3Rs principles in animal research","authors":"Jan Lauwereyns, Jeffrey Bajramovic, Bettina Bert, Samuel Camenzind, Joery De Kock, Alisa Elezović, Sevilay Erden, Fernando Gonzalez-Uarquin, Yesim Isil Ulman, Orsolya Ivett Hoffmann, Maria Kitsara, Nikolaos Kostomitsopoulos, Winfried Neuhaus, Benoit Petit-Demouliere, Simone Pollo, Brígida Riso, Sophie Schober, Athanassia Sotiropoulos, Aurélie Thomas, Augusto Vitale, Doris Wilflingseder, Arti Ahluwalia","doi":"10.1038/s41684-024-01476-2","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-024-01476-2","url":null,"abstract":"Many scientific breakthroughs have depended on animal research, yet the ethical concerns surrounding the use of animals in experimentation have long prompted discussions about humane treatment and responsible scientific practice. First articulated by Russell and Burch, the 3Rs Principles of Replacement, Reduction, and Refinement have gained widespread recognition as basic guidelines for animal research. Over time, the 3Rs have transcended the research community, influencing policy decisions, animal welfare advocacy and public perception of animal experimentation. Despite their broad acceptance, interpretations of the 3Rs vary substantially, shaping statutory frameworks at various levels, with both technical and practical impacts.","PeriodicalId":17936,"journal":{"name":"Lab Animal","volume":"32 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142637550","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lab AnimalPub Date : 2024-11-15DOI: 10.1038/s41684-024-01460-w
Andy J. Chua, Valentina Di Francesco, Anisha D’Souza, Mansoor Amiji, Benjamin S. Bleier
{"title":"Murine model of minimally invasive nasal depot (MIND) technique for central nervous system delivery of blood–brain barrier-impermeant therapeutics","authors":"Andy J. Chua, Valentina Di Francesco, Anisha D’Souza, Mansoor Amiji, Benjamin S. Bleier","doi":"10.1038/s41684-024-01460-w","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-024-01460-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The blood–brain barrier (BBB) poses a substantial obstacle to the successful delivery of therapeutics to the central nervous system (CNS). The transnasal route has been extensively explored, but success rates have been modest due to challenges related to the precise anatomical placement of drugs, the small volumes that the olfactory cleft can accommodate and short drug residence times due to mucociliary clearance. Here, to address these issues, we have developed a surgical technique known as the minimally invasive nasal depot (MIND), which allows the accurate placement of depot drugs into the submucosal space of the olfactory epithelium of rats. This technique exploits the unique anatomy of the olfactory apparatus to enable transnasal delivery of drugs into the CNS, bypassing the BBB. In our rat model, a bony window is created in the animal snout to expose the submucosal space. Using the MIND technique, we have successfully delivered oligonucleotides to the CNS in Sprague-Dawley and Long-Evans rats, leading to an upregulation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor in the substantia nigra and hippocampus. In this Protocol, we describe the procedural steps for MIND. This procedure takes about 45 min and can be performed by researchers with basic surgical skills. We additionally describe modifications to perform MIND in mice, which are anatomically smaller. The MIND procedure represents a unique platform that can be used to overcome the limitations posed by the BBB. This technique can potentially expand the therapeutic toolkit in the treatment of neurological diseases.</p>","PeriodicalId":17936,"journal":{"name":"Lab Animal","volume":"75 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142637551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lab AnimalPub Date : 2024-11-12DOI: 10.1038/s41684-024-01475-3
Shuai Qiu, Jingyan Jia, Benlei Xu, Nan Wu, Huaqiang Cao, Shuangyi Xie, Jialong Cui, Ji Ma, Yi-Hsuan Pan, Xiao-Bing Yuan
{"title":"Development and evaluation of an autism pig model","authors":"Shuai Qiu, Jingyan Jia, Benlei Xu, Nan Wu, Huaqiang Cao, Shuangyi Xie, Jialong Cui, Ji Ma, Yi-Hsuan Pan, Xiao-Bing Yuan","doi":"10.1038/s41684-024-01475-3","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-024-01475-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Developing cost-effective and disease-relevant animal models is essential for advancing biomedical research into human disorders. Here we investigate the feasibility of a pig model for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) using embryonic exposure to valproic acid (VPA), an antiepileptic drug known to increase ASD risk. We established experimental paradigms to assess the behavioral characteristics of these pig models. Administration of VPA to Bama miniature pigs (<i>Sus scrofa domestica</i>) during critical embryonic stages resulted in abnormal gait, increased anxiety levels, reduced learning capabilities and altered social patterns, while largely preserving social preference of treated piglets. Notably, we detected significant neuroanatomical changes in cortical regions associated with ASD in the VPA-treated pigs, including cortical malformation, increased neuronal soma size, decreased dendritic complexity and reduced dendritic spine maturation. Transcriptome analysis of the prefrontal cortex of VPA-treated pigs further revealed substantial alterations in the expression of genes linked to ASD, especially genes of the dopamine signaling pathway, highlighting the model’s relevance and potential for shedding light on ASD’s underlying neuropathological and molecular mechanisms. These findings suggest that pig models could serve as a promising alternative to traditional rodent models and provide a more ethical substitute for the use of primates in translational research on neurodevelopmental disorders.</p>","PeriodicalId":17936,"journal":{"name":"Lab Animal","volume":"45 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142599535","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lab AnimalPub Date : 2024-11-12DOI: 10.1038/s41684-024-01474-4
Natascha Drude, Stefan Nagel-Riedasch, Stephan P. Rosshart, Andreas Diefenbach, Stefan Jordan
{"title":"A facility for laboratory mice with a natural microbiome at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin","authors":"Natascha Drude, Stefan Nagel-Riedasch, Stephan P. Rosshart, Andreas Diefenbach, Stefan Jordan","doi":"10.1038/s41684-024-01474-4","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1038/s41684-024-01474-4","url":null,"abstract":"Mice with a natural microbiome are a promising research model for basic and applied science because of their closer resemblance to the human superorganism compared to mice born and raised under stringent hygiene conditions. Consequently, biomedical therapies developed and tested in “Wildling mice” hold great potential for successful translation into clinical applications. Over the past four years, scientists, veterinarians and institutional officials at Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin, supported by the University Hospital Erlangen, have designed a facility for Wildling mice and developed a conceptual framework for safe and ethical preclinical research involving mice with a natural microbiome.","PeriodicalId":17936,"journal":{"name":"Lab Animal","volume":"164 1","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.9,"publicationDate":"2024-11-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142599532","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lab AnimalPub Date : 2024-10-29DOI: 10.1038/s41684-024-01470-8
Alexandra Le Bras
{"title":"Midkine links aging and breast cancer","authors":"Alexandra Le Bras","doi":"10.1038/s41684-024-01470-8","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41684-024-01470-8","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":17936,"journal":{"name":"Lab Animal","volume":"53 11","pages":"305-305"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41684-024-01470-8.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142541102","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lab AnimalPub Date : 2024-10-29DOI: 10.1038/s41684-024-01469-1
Alexandra Le Bras
{"title":"Pregnancy confers immune protection against influenza A virus infection","authors":"Alexandra Le Bras","doi":"10.1038/s41684-024-01469-1","DOIUrl":"10.1038/s41684-024-01469-1","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":17936,"journal":{"name":"Lab Animal","volume":"53 11","pages":"304-304"},"PeriodicalIF":5.9,"publicationDate":"2024-10-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.nature.com/articles/s41684-024-01469-1.pdf","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"142541107","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}