Basic Phenotyping
Basic phenotyping establishes foundational characterization of your mouse model and identifies overt phenotypes affecting health, development, or survival.
Body Weight and Growth
Longitudinal body weight monitoring tracks growth curves and identifies developmental abnormalities or metabolic phenotypes. Weight data enables comparison with wild type littermates and detection of genotype dependent effects.
Survival Analysis
Survival tracking identifies premature mortality and enables Kaplan Meier analysis of lifespan effects. This is essential for models with potential lethality.
Clinical Observations
Regular clinical observation identifies behavioral changes, neurological signs, gait abnormalities, and other visible phenotypes. Standardized scoring systems enable quantitative tracking.
Gross Anatomy
Necropsy with organ weight measurement identifies organomegaly, atrophy, or structural abnormalities. Gross pathology guides selection of tissues for histological analysis.
Clinical Chemistry and Hematology
Serum Chemistry
Clinical chemistry panels assess metabolic, hepatic, and renal function:
| Metabolic panel | Glucose, cholesterol, triglycerides, free fatty acids |
| Liver function | ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubin, albumin |
| Kidney function | BUN, creatinine |
| Electrolytes | Sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorus |
Hematology
Complete blood count (CBC) with differential identifies hematopoietic phenotypes affecting red cells, white cells, and platelets. Reticulocyte counts assess erythropoietic activity.
Specialized Assays
Cytokine panels, hormone levels, and other specialized biomarker assays are available based on your model's expected phenotype.
Histopathology
Tissue Collection
Standardized tissue collection protocols ensure optimal preservation for histological analysis. Collection can be customized based on expected phenotype.
Routine Histology
Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining provides overview of tissue architecture and pathology. Standard panels include major organs; custom panels focus on tissues of interest.
Immunohistochemistry
Immunohistochemical staining detects specific proteins in tissue sections, enabling assessment of cell populations, pathway activation, and protein localization.
Pathology Interpretation
Board certified veterinary pathologists provide expert interpretation of histological findings with standardized scoring and detailed reports.
Special Stains
Special histochemical stains highlight specific tissue components:
| Target | Method |
|---|---|
| Fibrosis | Masson's trichrome, Sirius red |
| Lipid | Oil Red O (frozen sections) |
| Glycogen | PAS staining |
| Mucins | Alcian blue |
Disease Specific Phenotyping
Metabolic Phenotyping
- Glucose tolerance testing (GTT):Measures glucose clearance after glucose challenge
- Insulin tolerance testing (ITT):Assesses insulin sensitivity
- Body composition:DEXA or MRI based measurement of fat and lean mass
- Metabolic cages:Indirect calorimetry for energy expenditure, food intake, and activity
Cardiovascular Phenotyping
- Echocardiography:Non invasive assessment of cardiac function, including ejection fraction, wall thickness, and chamber dimensions
- Blood pressure:Tail cuff or telemetry based blood pressure monitoring
- ECG:Electrocardiographic assessment of cardiac rhythm
Behavioral Phenotyping
- Open field:General activity and anxiety like behavior
- Elevated plus maze:Anxiety assessment
- Rotarod:Motor coordination and balance
- Morris water maze:Spatial learning and memory
- Fear conditioning:Associative learning
Immune Phenotyping
- Flow cytometry:Multi parameter analysis of immune cell populations in blood, spleen, lymph nodes, and tissues
- Cytokine profiling:Serum or tissue cytokine levels
Phenotyping Study Design
Cohort Planning
We work with you to determine appropriate cohort sizes, age at analysis, and sex considerations based on your expected phenotype and statistical requirements.
Control Selection
Appropriate controls (wild type littermates, heterozygotes, or Cre only controls) are essential for phenotype interpretation. We help design control groups for your study.
Data Delivery
Phenotyping reports include complete methodology, raw data, statistical analysis, and interpretation. Data packages are formatted to support publications and regulatory submissions.
What Researchers Say
“Our project manager did an outstanding job and has provided us with excellent customer service. Her availability to clarify issues has been nothing short of fantastic. I have recommended ingenious to others. Look forward for further collaboration on other projects.”
— Hamid M. Said, PhD, PharmD
University of California, Irvine
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Frequently Asked Questions
Phenotyping Service Insights
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