Injection of two different concentrations of rotenone directly into the right striatum of wild-type mice causes a significant increase of contralateral slips in the beam walk test when compared to the ipsilateral side of the same animals as well as the contralateral side of DMSO-injected littermates (Figure 1A). This phenotype is measurable for at least … Read more
B6.SOD1G93A transgenic mice, bred on a congenic C57BL/6 background, offer a compelling alternative to the commonly used SOD1(*G93A)1Gur mice. They exhibit a slightly slower progression of the amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS)-specific phenotype compared to the original strain, which is conventionally bred on a mixed C57BL/6xSJL background. The slower disease course offers an extended window for … Read more
In a previous newsletter we already introduced the AAV2 hA53T-α-syn mouse model to present increased hA53T-α-syn levels in the unilaterally virus-injected substantia nigra and the caudate putamen of the same hemisphere compared to the contralateral hemisphere injected with control vector. Furthermore, we could show decreased tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels and increased Iba1 levels in the … Read more
We just established different patient-derived fibroblasts as models for various lysosomal storage diseases (LSDs), offering a valuable tool for drug screening. LSDs are a group of rare genetic disorders, characterized by deficiencies in specific enzymes that usually facilitate the lysosomal degradation process, leading to the accumulation of undegraded substances within the lysosome. These diseases can … Read more
We now offer advanced search strategy analysis of data gathered during Morris Water Maze (MWM) test without changes to the established protocol. The MWM has been a widely recognized method to analyze spatial navigation and learning for several decades. This makes it a valuable tool for the evaluation of cognitively impaired rodent models, used to … Read more
Newest results of our R&D team show highly increased total and phosphorylated tau (ptau) levels in transgenic PS19 mice already at early age. This rodent model for tauopathies expresses the T34 isoform and 4 microtubule binding repeats (1N4R) of the tau protein with P301S mutation under the regulatory control of the murine prion promoter (Prnp). … Read more
We are now able to offer longitudinal, repeated in vivo electromyographic measurements in rodent models with motor impairment. These analyses provide sensitive longitudinal readouts about your drug candidates that are unaffected by the environmental or emotional status of your animals. Typical readouts are the Compound Muscle Action Potential (CMAP), Motor Unit Action Potential (MUAP) and … Read more
Reduced GCase activity is a key causative hallmark of Gaucher disease. Monitoring changes in GCase activity at multiple time points from small volumes of whole blood, sampled as dried blood spots (DBS), can give valuable new insights on drug effects. Mutations in the human glucosylceramidase-β (GBA) gene and associated GCase activity are causative for Gaucher … Read more
Repeated MPTP injections into the mouse’ intraperitoneal space result in a Parkinson´s disease brain pathology shown as degeneration of dopaminergic neurons and neuroinflammation. Upon entering the brain, methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP) oxidizes into the highly neurotoxic compound 1-methyl-4-phenylpyridinium (MPP+) which is selectively taken up by dopaminergic neurons. Inside neurons, MPP+ disrupts mitochondrial function and causes oxidative stress, … Read more
Detection of mRNA by fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) is a great alternative for proteins that are hard to detect by immunofluorescence. FISH is also the method of choice for the analysis of expression efficacy during the development of new gene therapies. The Department of Histology of Scantox therefore established the FISH labeling method and … Read more
Unilateral 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) injections in the mouse dorsal striatum (caudate putamen) lead to a strong Parkinson’s disease pathology in the injected brain hemisphere, while the contralateral hemisphere can serve as control. The effect of the 6-OHDA injection can be validated histologically, by measurement of tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) levels in the dorsal striatum that is strongly … Read more
Cisterna magna injections are the most favorable administration route of cells and various agents to ensure their distribution to more rostral brain regions in mice and rats compared to intrathecal injections. Furthermore, injections of various tracer molecules into the cisterna magna are used to track the cerebrospinal fluid´s (CSF) movement through the glymphatic system in … Read more