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Laboratory Mice in Medical Research

Babita Seliya*

Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era University, Dehradun, India

Corresponding Author:
Babita Seliya
Department of Biotechnology, Graphic Era University, Dehradun, India
Tel: +919997095117
E-mail: babitaseliya@gmail.com

Received date: 23/08 /2016 Revised date: 29/08 /2016 Accepted date: 23/09 /2016



The science of mice has been examined for quite a long time with the fundamental motivation behind irritation control. With the coming of exploratory ways to deal with human medicinal consideration, mice have turned into the most famous creature model framework as a result of the numerous likenesses between their physiology and that of people. All the more as of late, they have been utilized as a part of a considerably more extensive scope of investigative studies went for controlling their genome. With the advancement of olfactory neuroscience from 1990s and sequencing the entire mouse genome toward the start of 21st century, olfactory correspondence is currently learned at cell and atomic levels. The information of mouse science helps in ideally outlining mouse behavioural trials additionally mouse lodging conditions and keeps away from pollution of olfactory flagging variables that may influence the outcomes fundamentally. These laboratory mice have lots of application in Medical Research as well as in novel drug discovery.


Immunodeficient nude mice, C57BL/6, Transgenic mice.


Mice assume a significant part in biomedical exploration. Around 95 per cent of all lab creatures are mice and rats. Decreasing dependence on higher-request species, mice have turned into the creature model of decision for biomedical specialists in light of the fact that their physiology [1] and hereditary [2] make-up nearly takes after that of individuals. Regardless of specific contrasts amongst individuals and rodents, the likenesses are sufficiently solid to give specialists a gigantically capable and adaptable mammalian framework in which to explore human malady.

The sequencing of rat genomes has empowered analysts to reproduce human infections [3,4] in mice through hereditary designing. Scientists are now capable in recognising the illness related attributes in mice and rats, and new innovation permits specialists to specifically alter the DNA of the mice. Research with hereditarily adjusted mice and rats has prompted noteworthy new medications, cures and treatments and keeps on reforming science and pharmaceutical [5,6].


Mice had been used in biomedical study on account that the 16th Century when William Harvey used them for his experiences on blood circulation and reproduction Robert Hooke used them to investigate the organic consequences of an increase in air strains throughout the 18th Century Joseph Priestley and Antoine Lavoisier both used mice to learn breathing. Within the 19th Century Gregor Mendel [7] carried out his early investigations of inheritance on mouse coat colour however used to be asked with the aid of his superior to discontinue breeding in his telephone "stinky creatures that, moreover, copulated and had sex". He then switched his investigations to peas but, as his observations have been published in a moderately vague botanical journal, they have been essentially left out for over 35 years except they have been rediscovered in the early 20th Century. In 1902 Lucien Cuénow not published the results of his experiments using mice which showed that Mendel's legal guidelines of inheritance have been also legitimate for animal’s results [8-9] that have been quickly proven and accelerated to different species.

In the early a part of the 20th century Clarence prepare dinner Little, a Harvard undergraduate used to be conducting reviews on mouse genetics [10] within the laboratory of William Ernest castle. Little and citadel collaborated intently with Abbie Lathrop who was once a breeder of fancy mice and rats which she marketed to rodent hobbyists and keepers of uncommon pets, and later began selling in colossal numbers to scientific researchers. Together they generated the DBA (Dilute, Brown and non-Agouti) inbred mouse pressure and initiated the systematic generation [11,12] of inbred traces. The mouse has considering the fact that been used generally as a mannequin organism and is associated with many essential biological discoveries of the 20th and 21st Centuries.


Sequencing of the laboratory mouse genome used to be accomplished in late 2002 making use of the C57BL/6 strain. This used to be only the second mammalian genome [13-15] to be sequenced after humans. The haploid genome is set three billion base pairs long (3,000 Mb distributed over 20 chromosomes), for this reason equal to the size of the human genome [16-19]. Estimating the number of genes contained in the mouse genome is difficult, partly for the reason that the definition of a gene is still being debated and elevated. The current count of main coding genes within the laboratory mouse is 23,139. Compared to an estimated 20,774 in humans.

Transgenic Strains and Mutant

More than a few mutant lines [20] of mice were created by using a quantity of approaches. A small selection from the numerous available strains entails -

Mice attributable to ordinary breeding:

• Non-obese diabetic (NOD) mice, which increase diabetes mellitus, style 1.

• Murphy Roths colossal (MRL) mice with exotic regenerative capacities

• "Waltzing" mice, which stroll in a circular pattern as a result of a mutation adversely affecting their inner ears

• Immunodeficient nude mice, missing thymus and a hair: The mice don't produce T lymphocytes; accordingly, don't mount cellular immune responses. They are used for research in transplantation and immunology [21].

• extreme mixed immunodeficient, with an almost completely faulty immune approach

Transgenic mice [22,23], with overseas genes inserted into their genome:

• Abnormally large mice, with an inserted rat development hormone gene

• Onco mice, with an activated oncogene, so to enormously increase the incidence of cancer

• Doogie mice, with improved NMDA receptor function, leading to accelerated reminiscence and learning [24-26].

Knockout mice, the place a particular gene was once made inoperable by using a method referred to as gene knockout: The purpose is to be trained the operate of the gene's product or to simulate a [27-30] human disease:

• Fat mice, prone to weight problems as a result of a carboxypeptidase E [31] deficiency

• Powerful muscular mice, with a disabled myostatin gene, nicknamed "mighty mice."

Behaviour and Appereance

Laboratory mice have retained among the bodily and behavioural traits of house mice, nonetheless, as a result of many generations of man-made decision some of these characteristics now differ markedly. As a result of the massive number of traces of laboratory mice, it's impractical to comprehensively describe the appearance and behaviour of all these, nonetheless, they are described below for two of essentially the more commonly used lines [32-35].

A female C57BL/6 laboratory mouse:

1. C57BL/6 mice have a gloomy brown, almost black coat. They are extra touchy to noise and odours and usually tend to chunk than the more docile laboratory traces comparable to BALB/c.

2. Staff-housed C57BL/6 mice (and different traces) show barbering behaviour, wherein the dominant mouse in a cage selectively [36] gets rid of hair from its subordinate mates in cage. Mice that have been barbered extensively can have giant bald patches on their bodies, usually across the head, snout, and shoulders, although barbering may just appear wherever on the physique. Each hair and vibrissae could also be eliminated. Barbering is more as a rule obvious in female mice; male mice are more likely to show dominance by means of fighting.

3. C57BL/6 has a number of uncommon traits which make it useful for some research stories but inappropriate for others: it is unusually sensitive to affliction and to bloodless and analgesic drugs is much less mighty in this stress. Not like most laboratory mouse traces, the C57BL/6 drinks alcoholic beverages voluntarily. It's extra inclined than common to morphine addiction, atherosclerosis, and age-associated hearing loss [37- 40].

BALB/c laboratory mice:

1. BALB/c is an, laboratory albino -bred strain from which a number of long-established sub strains are derived. With over 200 generations bred considering the fact that 1920, BALB/c mice are dispensed globally and are among the most extensively used inbred strains utilized in animal experimentation [41,42].

2. BALB/c are famous for exhibiting excessive stages of nervousness and for being fairly resistant to weight loss plan-brought on atherosclerosis, making them a valuable model for cardiovascular research [43].

3. Male BALB/c mice are aggressive and will combat other adult males if housed collectively. Nevertheless, the BALB/Lac substrain is way more docile. Most BALB/c mice substrains have a long reproductive existence-span [44-46].

4. There are famous variations between special BALB/c substrains, although these are concept to be as a result of mutation instead than genetic contamination. The BALB/cWt is distinct in that three% of progeny display proper hermaphroditism [47,51].

Application of Laboratory Mice in Human Disorder and Diseases

The biomedical application of laboratory mice promotes the research in [52-61]:

1. Cataracts

2. Diabetes

3. Obesity

4. Respiratory problems

5. Seizures

6. Deafness

7. Alzheimer's disease

8. Parkinson's disease

9. HIV and AIDs

10. Cancer

11. Cystic fibrosis

12. Muscular dystrophy

13. Spinal cord injuries

14. Hypertension

15. Heart disease


Laboratory mice are widely used in the medical research. Model mice have opened the path for the novel drug discovery in past few years. Model animals are used by the scientist for several diseases and disorder. Laboratory mice are being used in finding the treatment of Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease by analysing the effect of different drug induced.