A simple cage-autonomous method for the maintenance of the barrier status of germ-free mice during experimentation

• Published in: Laboratory animals (London) 2014-10, Vol.48 (4), p.292-297
• Main Authors: Hecht, G, Bar-Nathan, C, Milite, G, Alon, I, Moshe, Y, Greenfeld, L, Dotsenko, N, Suez, J, Levy, M, Thaiss, C A, Dafni, H, Elinav, E, Harmelin, A
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Animal Husbandry - economics; Animal Husbandry - methods; Animals; Female; Germ-Free Life; Male; Mice; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0023-6772; 1758-1117
• DOI: 10.1177/0023677214544728

The use of germ-free (GF) isolators for microbiome-related research is exponentially increasing, yet limited by its cost, isolator size and potential for trans-contamination. As such, current isolator technology is highly limiting to researchers engaged in short period experiments involving multiple mouse strains and employing a variety of mono-inoculated microorganisms. In this study, we evaluate the use of positive pressure Isocages as a solution for short period studies (days to 2–3 weeks) of experimentation with GF mice at multiple simultaneous conditions. We demonstrate that this new Isocage technology is cost-effective and room-sparing, and enables maintenance of multiple simultaneous groups of GF mice. Using this technology, transferring GF mice from isolators to Isocage racks for experimentation, where they are kept under fully germ-free conditions, enables parallel inoculation with different bacterial strains and simultaneous experimentation with multiple research conditions. Altogether, the new GF Isocage technology enables the expansion of GF capabilities in a safe and cost-effective manner that can facilitate the growth, elaboration and flexibility of microbiome research.