Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Resource
  • Published:

Maintaining Aged Rodents for Biogerontology Research

Abstract

Aged rodents present unique concerns for both husbandry staff and investigators. Choosing the correct rodent model and providing the appropriate care are important elements for successful use of rodent models in biogerontology research programs. The author discusses issues to be evaluated when housing and using aged rodents.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1: Representative rodent survival curves.
Figure 2: Overgrown teeth in a 31-month-old BN rat.
Figure 3: Tumor on the foot of an aged F344 rat.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Turturro, A., Witt, W.W., Lewis, S., Hass, B.S., Lipman, R.D. & Hart, R.W. Growth curves and survival characteristics of the animals used in the biomarkers of aging program. J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 54(11), B492–B501 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Bellinger, D., Tran, L., Kang, J.I., Lubahn, C., Felton, D.L. & Lorton, D. Age-related changes in noradrenergic sympathetic innervation of the rat spleen is strain dependent. Brain Behav. Immun. 16(3), 247–261 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Wolf, N.S., Li, Y., Pendergrass, W., Schmeider, C. & Turturro, A. Normal mouse and rats strains as models for age-related cataract and the effect of caloric restriction on its development. Exp. Eye Res. 70(5), 683–692 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Jepsen, K.J., Akkus, O.J., Majeska, R.J. & Nadeau, J.H. Hierarchical relationship between bone traits and mechanical properties in inbred mice. Mamm. Genome 14(2), 97–104 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Sheng, M.H., Baylink, D.J., Beamer, W.G., Donahue, L.R., Lau, K.H, & Wergedal, J.E. Regulation of bone volume is different in the metaphyses of the femur and vertebra of C3H/HeJ and C57BL/6J mice. Bone 30(3), 486–491 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Rosen, C.J., Beamer, W.G. & Donahue, L.R. Defining the genetics of osteoporosis: using the mouse to understand the man. Osteoporos. Int. 12(10), 803–810 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Lipman, R.D., Chrisp, C.E., Hazzard, D.G. & Bronson, R.T. Pathologic characterization of Brown Norway, Brown Norway × Fischer 344, and Fischer 344 × Brown Norway rats with relation to age. J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 51(1), B54–B59 (1996).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Lipman, R.D., Dallal, G.E. & Bronson, R.T. Effects of genotype and diet on age-related lesions in ad libitum fed and calorie-restricted F344, BN and BNF3F1 rats. J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 54(11), B478–B491 (1999).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Lipman, R.D. et al. Disease incidence and longevity are altered by dietary antioxidant supplementation initiated during middle age in C57BL/6 mice. Mech. Ageing Dev. 103(3), 269–284 (1988).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Zimmerman, J.A., Malloy, V., Krajcik, R. & Orentreich, N. Nutritional control of aging. Exp. Gerontol. 38(1–2), 47–52 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Iwasaki, K., Gleiser, C.A., Masoro, E.J., McMahan, C.A., Seo, E.J. & Yu, B.P. The influence of dietary protein source on longevity and age-related disease processes of Fischer rats. J. Gerontol. 43(1), B5–B12 (1988).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  12. Turturro, A., Duffy, P., Hass, B., Kodell, R. & Hart, R. Survival characteristics and age-adjusted disease incidences in C57BL/6 mice fed a commonly used cereal-based diet modulated by dietary restriction. J. Gerontol. A Biol. Sci. Med. Sci. 57(11), B379–B389 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. The Jackson Laboratory. Notice to users of JAX mice: C57BL/6J skin lesion problem eliminated (14 August 1997).

  14. Turturro, A., Duffy, P., Hart, R. & Allaben, W.T. Rationale for the use of dietary control in toxicity studies—B6C3F1 mouse. Toxicol. Pathol. 24(6), 769–775 (1996).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  15. Lipman, R.D., Gaillard, E.T., Harrison, D.E. & Bronson, R.T. Husbandry factors and the prevalence of age-related amyloidosis in mice. Lab. Anim. Sci. 43(5), 439–444 (1993).

    Google Scholar 

  16. Olsson, A.S. & Dahlborn, K. Improving housing conditions for laboratory mice: a review of “environmental enrichment”. Lab. Anim. 36(3), 243–270 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Mattson, M.P., Duan, W., Lee, J & Guo, Z. Suppression of brain aging and neurodegenerative disorders by dietary restriction and environmental enrichment: molecular mechanisms. Mech. Ageing Dev. 122(7), 757–778 (2001).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Frick, K.M., Stearns, N.A., Pan, J.Y. & Berger-Sweeney, J. Effects of environmental enrichment on spatial memory and neurochemistry in middle-aged mice. Learn. Mem. 10(3), 187–198 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Tillerson, J.L., Caudle, W.M., Reveron, M.E. & Miller, G.W. Exercise induces behavioral recovery and attenuates neurochemical deficits in rodent models of Parkinson's Disease. Neuroscience 119(3), 899–911 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Powell, S.B., Newman, H.A., McDonald, T.A., Bugenhagen, P. & Lewis, M.H. Development of spontaneous stereotyped behavior in deer mice: effects of early and late exposure to a more complex environment. Dev. Psychobiol. 37(2), 100–108 (2000).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Turner, C.A., Lewis, M.H. & King, M.A. Environmental enrichment: effects on stereotyped behavior and dendritic morphology. Dev. Psychobiol. 43(1), 20–27 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Marashi, V., Barnekow, A., Ossendorf, E. & Sachser, N. Effects of different forms of environmental enrichment on behavioral, endocrinological, and immunological parameters in male mice. Horm. Behav. 43(2), 281–292 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Van de Weerd, H.A., Aarsen, E.L., Mulder, A., Kruitwagen, C.L., Hendricksen, C.F. & Baumans, V. Effects of environmental enrichment for mice: variation in experimental results. J. Appl. Anim. Welf. Sci. 5(2), 87–109 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Campisi, J. & Fleshner, M. Role of extracellular HSP72 in acute stress-induced potentiation of innate immunity in active rats. J. Appl. Physiol. 94(1), 43–52 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Hoffman-Goetz, L., Zajchowski, S. & Aldred, A. Impact of treadmill exercise on early apoptotic cells in mouse thymus and spleen. Life Sci. 64(3), 191–200 (1999).

    Google Scholar 

  26. Elphick, G.F., Weiseler-Frank, J., Greenwood, B.N., Campisi, J. & Fleshner, M. B-1 cell (CD5+/CD11b+) numbers and nIgM levels are elevated in physically active vs. sedentary rats. J. Appl. Physiol. 95(1), 199–206 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Elphick, G.F., Greenwood, B.N., Campisi, J. & Fleshner, M. Increased serum nIgM in voluntarily physically active rats: a potential role for B-1 cells. J. Appl. Physiol. 94(2), 660–667 (2003).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Tsai, P.P., Pachowsky, U., Stelzer, H.D. & Hackbarth, H. Impact of environmental enrichment in mice. 1: Effect of housing conditions on body weight, organ weights and haematology in different strains. Lab. Anim. 36(4), 411–419 (2002).

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Nadon, N. Maintaining Aged Rodents for Biogerontology Research. Lab Anim 33, 36–41 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1038/laban0904-36

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/laban0904-36

This article is cited by

Search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing