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Development and Reproduction of the Laboratory Mouse

Overview

Successful breeding of the laboratory mouse (Mus musculus) is critical to the establishment and maintenance of a productive animal colony. Additionally, mouse embryos are frequently studied to answer questions about developmental processes. A wide variety of genetic tools now exist for regulating gene expression during mouse embryonic and postnatal development, which can help scientists to understand more about heritable diseases affecting human development.

This video provides an introduction to the reproduction and development of mice. In addition to clarifying the terminology used to describe developmental progression, the presentation reviews key stages of the mouse life cycle. First, major development events that take place in utero are described, with special attention given to the unique layout of early rodent embryos. Next, husbandry protocols are provided for postnatal mice, or pups, including the process of weaning, or removal of pups from their mother's cage. Since males and females must be separated at this stage to prevent unscheduled mating, the demonstration also reveals how to determine mouse sex. Subsequently, instructions are given for carrying out controlled mouse breeding, including screening for the copulatory plug, which is useful for precisely timed embryonic development. Finally, the video highlights strategies used to investigate the complex processes that govern mouse development, including the generation of genetically altered “knockout” mice.

Procedure

Mice are extremely valuable model organisms that continue to improve our understanding of human development and disease. Among mammals, mice have a high fecundity and rapid development, meaning that colonies can be quickly expanded.

Since development within the womb requires some specialized embryonic structures, the study of embryogenesis in a mammalian model is also more relevant to humans. In this video, we will discuss the stages of mouse reproduction and development, how to breed mice, and ways to apply mouse

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Tags
DevelopmentReproductionLaboratory MouseModel OrganismsHuman DevelopmentDiseaseFecundityRapid DevelopmentEmbryogenesisMammalian ModelMouse ReproductionGestationUterine HornsDamLitter SizePupsDevelopmental StagesEmbryonic Day ZeroE0FertilizationPostnatal Day ZeroP0

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0:00

Overview

0:49

Mouse Reproduction

2:07

Embryonic Development

4:20

Postnatal Development

5:37

Mouse Mating

6:44

Applications

8:30

Summary

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