Does inbreeding affect mice?
2001). Mice have been inbred to reduce genetic variance for over a 100 years, and each generation of inbreeding is expected to lead to a decrease in heterozygosity (Wright 1921; Silver 1995).
Can mice breed with siblings?
To produce sufficient mice for experiments, multiple sister-brother breeding pairs or trios (two females and one male) can be established. Most strains produce more progeny per cage if mated as trios because all adult cage mates generally help care for the young.
Can brother and sister mice have babies?
A Yes, a brother and sister rat will mate and have babies. Males are also fertile when they are very young and will impregnate their mother and sisters if left with them for too long. While accidental brother/sister breeding should be prevented, many breeders use this kind of close inbreeding to improve their animals.
What is the difference between inbred and outbred mice?
Genetically, there are two major classes of laboratory mice: inbred and outbred. Inbred mice are genetically homogeneous and there is very little variation or heterogeneity within a pure inbred strain. Outbred mice are bred specifically to maximize genetic diversity and heterozygosity within a population.
Do mice mate for life?
Prior research has shown that California mice are a rare monogamous rodent species—they mate for life. However, sometimes the pairing is interrupted by the death of one of the pair, or in rare cases, abandonment.
Why do we use inbred mice?
Inbred strains of mice and rats are invaluable animal resources for studying the genetic bases of phenotypic variation. They have been obtained through brother–sister mating for more than 20 generations, so all individuals have the same genome (isogenic) and each individual is homozygous at each locus.
What are cd1 mice?
CD-1 IGS mice are outbred mice derived from a group of outbred Swiss mice developed at the Anti-Cancer Center in Lausanne, Switzerland. They were imported to the US in 1926 and to Charles River in 1959. The CD-1 IGS mice are generally used for genetics, toxicology, pharmacology, and aging research.
What is mouse strain?
CB17 SCID mouse (SCID means severe combined immunodeficiency) is an albino strain with a spontaneous SCID mutation. The mutation prevents the development and maturation of both T and B cells.
Mice have been inbred to reduce genetic variance for over a 100 years, and each generation of inbreeding is expected to lead to a decrease in heterozygosity (Wright 1921; Silver 1995).
Can you breed mice that are siblings?
Most mice reach sexual maturity (males and females) at 4-7 weeks of age. Younger mice generally produce smaller litters and therefore are not typically mated until they reach 6-8 weeks, of age. Mice that have been housed alone or in same-sex pairs will usually not breed successfully if they are older than 6-8 months.
