A recent article co-authored by Taconic Biosciences's Dr. Alexander Maue in Laboratory Equipment highlights the history and current options for housing rodents for laboratory research. One focus of the article is on gnotobiotic practices, which includes housing the animals in isolators and requires sterilization of food, bedding, and other supplies via autoclave prior to introduction to the isolator. The term gnotobiotic means "all life is known", and is therefore also used in germ-free practices wherein the animals in the isolators lack any viral, fungal, or microbial species. Read on to learn about the various options for housing gnotobiotic and germ-free research rodents, their advantages and drawbacks, and how research goals can impact selection of the most appropriate housing:
"Gnotobiotic technology in laboratory animal science is the processes and systems employed for maintaining gnotobiotic and germfree (germfree) research animals. Through sterilization of feed and other husbandry supplies, and by housing in systems that completely protect the animals from the surrounding environment and human caretakers, the intent is to create and maintain animal models with fully controlled and known microbiological status. This article explores the various options for housing gnotobiotic and germfree research rodents, their advantages and drawbacks, and how research goals can impact selection of the most appropriate housing."
Read the complete article at: laboratoryequipment.com
"Gnotobiotic technology in laboratory animal science is the processes and systems employed for maintaining gnotobiotic and germfree (germfree) research animals. Through sterilization of feed and other husbandry supplies, and by housing in systems that completely protect the animals from the surrounding environment and human caretakers, the intent is to create and maintain animal models with fully controlled and known microbiological status. This article explores the various options for housing gnotobiotic and germfree research rodents, their advantages and drawbacks, and how research goals can impact selection of the most appropriate housing."