Cohousing Male Mice with and without Segmental Bone Defects.

Cohousing Male Mice with and without Segmental Bone Defects. Comp Med. 2019 Mar 01;68(2):131-138 Authors: Rytlewski JD, Childress PJ, Scofield DC, Khan F, Alvarez MB, Tucker AT, Harris JS, Peveler JL, Hickman DL, Chu TG, Kacena MA Abstract Spaceflight results in bone loss like that associated with osteoporosis or decreased weight-bearing (for example, high-energy trauma such as explosive injuries and automobile accidents). Thus, the unique spaceflight laboratory on the International Space Station presents the opportunity to test bone healing agents during weightlessness. We are collaborating with NASA and the US Army to study bone healing in spaceflight. Given the unique constraints of spaceflight, study design optimization was required. Male mice were selected primarily because their femur is larger than females', allowing for more reproducible surgical outcomes. However, concern was raised regarding male mouse aggression. In addition, the original spaceflight study design included cohousing nonoperated control mice with mice that had undergone surgery to create a segmental bone defect. This strategy prompted the concern that nonoperated mice would exhibit aggressive behavior toward vulnerable operated mice. We hypothesized that operated and nonoperated male mice could be cohoused successfully when they were cagemates since birth and underwent identical anesthetic, analgesic, preoperative, and postoperative conditions. Using quantit...
Source: Comparative Medicine - Category: Zoology Authors: Tags: Comp Med Source Type: research