Bulk Electroacupuncture Operation for Mice or Young Rats

Summary

Here, we present a protocol for efficient and rapid electroacupuncture (EA) in mice or young rats using a three-dimensional (3D) printed holder. This technique allows simultaneous operation on multiple animals, saving time and increasing experimental efficiency.

Abstract

Electroacupuncture (EA) is widely used to treat various health conditions. However, the underlying mechanism of EA treatment remains unclear, hindering its promotion. The mechanistic study requires mouse or rat models to address this issue. However, these animals are not obedient to the experimental process, which is time-consuming. To solve these problems, we designed a 3D-printed small animal body bulk fixator to improve the efficiency of EA's animal experiments. This video shows in detail how to use the fixator to perform bulk EA on mice or young rats. For the selection of acupoints, the anterior oblique line of vertex temporal (MS6 head) and Tianshu point (ST25 belly) were chosen to verify the effect of the fixation device with prone positioning and supine positioning. Using the 3D-printed small animal holder allows multiple rodents to be immobilized and treated simultaneously, reducing the time and resources required for the experiment. This technique could be applied to other animal models by 3D printing different sizes and could potentially be used for various fixing conditions. The device is beneficial for the promotion of experimental scientific research in EA.

Introduction

Electroacupuncture (EA) therapy is a unique method in which acupuncture needles are inserted into the scalp and connected to an electro-machine to stimulate specific points¹. Unlike manual stimulation, EA allows better control of stimulation by stabilizing specific frequencies and waveforms to achieve optimal therapeutic effects². According to a survey, 81.2% of medical institutions in China use EA or manual acupuncture to treat cerebral palsy, neuralgia, facial palsy, and other conditions. Despite its popularity, the specific mechanism of efficacy of EA is still unknown, which has hindered its prom....

Protocol

The experiments in this study comply with the "3Rs" principle of animal ethics and have been approved by the Laboratory Animal Welfare and Ethnic Committee of the Army Medical University (AMUWEC20234543).

1. Preparation of rodent body fixation device

1. Design a small animal holder based on the Chinese utility model patent⁹.
2. Produce the device through 3D printing technology.
3. Prepare a 2 m long rope and divide it into 6 ropes. Thread these 6 ropes through the holes in the fixator. Utilize the spring-loaded buckle to fasten the rope ends, facilitating loop size adju....

Discussion

Electroacupuncture (EA) is a form of acupuncture that involves the use of electrical stimulation on acupuncture needles¹¹. This technique involves the use of micro-pulse currents of specific intensity and frequency to stimulate acupuncture points and achieve enhanced therapeutic effects³. However, the mechanism of EA for healing is limited and requires extensive basic research to prove^1,2,

Materials

Name	Company	Catalog Number	Comments
3D printing batch mice fixator	MESH INVENT	Custom made	The fixator produced by 3D printer. The printing method is called fused deposition modeling (FDM), also known as fused filament fabrication (FFF).
Electroacupuncture instrument	Hwato, Suzhou Medical Appliance Factory	SDZ-III	www.Hwato-med.com
Disposable sterile acupuncture needle	Suzhou Medical Appliance Factory	N/A	0.25 mm x 13 mm