Why can’t we use mice in medicine?
If drugs are made to target receptors that are only present in mice, they will not work in humans. As a result, treatments for depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, Alzheimer’s, and other disorders may be very helpful in mice but would fail to treat the diseases in humans.
Why are mice used in scientific experiments?
In many ways, mice are ideal for scientific experiments. They are genetically similar to humans, produce many offspring, and mature quickly so that experiments can be done in a short time period. They have helped to develop treatments for numerous diseases, from diabetes to cancer.
Can we cure mice with identical DNA?
Curing mice with identical DNA is like devising a cure for only one human out of the 7.5 billion people on Earth. Every person responds differently to medicine and illnesses; what works in one person may not work in another person with different DNA. Some researchers have encouraged scientists to accept that variation in experiments is inevitable.
Why is Fialuridine toxic to humans but not mice?
Fialuridine (FIAU) is toxic to humans but not mice because of a difference in protein localization. In both mice and humans, FIAU enters the cell through a transporter protein in the cell membrane and acts against Hepatitis B Virus (HBV).
What is the best food to feed mice?
Good food for miceFresh water: essential for life.Concentrate (nuggets or mix): needed for nutritional balance.Green leafy vegetables (broccoli, kale) crunchy fruits (apples without seeds, pears), peas, cooked grains.Snacks or treats: Supreme treats, cooked meat, live inset food, cooked pasta.
What nutrients do mice need?
Mice should be fed a combination of fresh fruits and vegetables and good quality mouse/rat pellets or cubes. The quantity should be appropriate to the pellets being fed and the age, size and life stage of your mice. Ensure these pellets have a protein content of at least 16% & fat content of 4-5% [1].
What can I feed a field mouse?
Field mice thrive in woodland, rough grassland and gardens. It stores berries and seeds in the autumn in underground burrows or sometimes in old birds' nests. No strong smell. Diet: seeds, snails, insects, fruit, berries, nuts and fungi.
What do mice need to eat to survive?
Mouse Diet and Habitat Facts House mice are omnivorous but prefer to consume grains, fruits and seeds. Consequently, they may cause severe damage to crops and domestic gardens. Although it is commonly believed that mice are attracted to cheese, they tend to prefer foods that are higher in carbohydrates.
What do laboratory mice eat?
Examples Of Diets For Laboratory Mice Mice are omnivorous; they consume a wide variety of seeds, grains, and other plant material as well as feedstuffs of animal origin. Natural-ingredient diets for mice maintained in conventional and barrier environments are commercially available.
How much protein do mice need in their diet?
The minimum protein concentration which supports adequate growth, reproduction and lactation in the mouse was 13.6%. This diet supplied 14.7% of protein calories or 5.9 mg of total nitrogen/Cal.
Do field mice eat carrots?
They love fruits (grapes, strawberries, melon, apple, figs, peaches, cranberries, etc.) and crunchy vegetables (carrots, celery, cucumber, broccoli, cabbage, asparagus, radishes, etc.). Eating firm fruits and vegetables helps house mice wear out their teeth, which are constantly growing.
How do you keep field mice alive?
Keep the young mouse in a container big enough for it to rest comfortably and perhaps run around a little bit. Give it food and water. Peanut butter is an excellent choice as mice seem to go for it. They also love chocolate and cheese but will eat just about anything you give them, including meat.
What do you feed a wild mouse?
They have the same nutritional needs -- so a wide variety of seeds, berries, other fruits, nuts and proteins and even some people foods, such as peanut butter or crackers will serve them. Mice do not overeat; they consume only what they need.
Do mice need to eat every day?
House Mice Habits and Biology However, they do have two main meal times, just before dusk and just before dawn. They can eat about 10 to 15% of their body weight every day, the adults weighing about 5/8-1 oz. Mice also cache food as supply permits. They get much of their water from food products.
Can you give mice cucumber?
Fresh Produce Slice the produce up into tiny, mouse-friendly bites. Some examples of the diverse fruits and veggies that are appropriate for mouse consumption are parsley, bananas, pears, tomatoes, peas, melons, berries, carrots, celery, broccoli, cucumbers, avocados and apples.
Can mice eat oats?
Mice should also have carbohydrates in their diets. You can feed your pet mouse prepared porridge, oatmeal, rice or pasta. They also need to have calcium in their diets, especially if they are pregnant.
How often do mice need to be fed?
Feed once a day in the evening; mice are generally more active at night, so you may want to replenish food then. You can give small amounts of grains, vegetables, fruits and hay daily, but limit these to 10% of your mouse's total daily calories. Vegetables and fruits not eaten within 12 hours should be discarded.
How often do mice need to eat?
between 15 and 20 times a dayAs mentioned above, mice will chew and eat through anything. They especially love grains and can make their way through a box of cereal or crackers without much effort. They also eat between 15 and 20 times a day and will make their nest near a food source (think your kitchen or pantry).
Do mice like sugar?
The truth is, mice and rats love a variety of human favorites. Some of the most popular snacks that rodents enjoy include beef jerky, candy, and even chocolate. Mice in particular love anything that's high in sugar, protein, or salt. Always keep your favorite snacks stored securely.
What do you feed a mouse in shock?
0:071:42How to Save a Baby Wild Mouse - YouTubeYouTubeStart of suggested clipEnd of suggested clipIf the mouse's eyes are closed you should feed it right away to feed the mouse mix four and a halfMoreIf the mouse's eyes are closed you should feed it right away to feed the mouse mix four and a half cups 1070 milliliters of water with two teaspoons or eight grams of sugar.
How to compare genes in humans and mice?
To compare genes in humans and mice, Hodge et al. used a technique called DNA sequencing to identify the DNA that makes up all the genes in human and mouse brain cells. The researchers learned that almost every type of cell in the mouse brain, including almost all neurons, is also present in the human brain. However, once researchers compared the expression of individual genes within the same cell type, they found vast differences between mice and humans. Two-thirds of all genes shared between mice and humans are expressed differently in the same cell type. The most striking difference was found in neurons, where several genes used to make serotonin receptors are turned on in mice but off in humans. Serotonin, a chemical that regulates mood, sends messages between neurons by binding to its receptor on the receiving neuron’s surface. Without the receptor, serotonin cannot transmit signals to nearby cells. If drugs are made to target receptors that are only present in mice, they will not work in humans. As a result, treatments for depression, schizophrenia, anxiety, Alzheimer’s, and other disorders may be very helpful in mice but would fail to treat the diseases in humans.
What would happen if we were all mice?
If we were all mice, Alzheimer’s disease, cancer, diabetes, and most inherited disorders would be a thing of the past. We could nibble on as much cheese as we wanted without fear of heart disease and run around our favorite wheel for hours on end without knee pain because all these ailments have been cured in mice. Unfortunately, we are not mice, and most of these cures fail miserably in humans. Out of the hundreds of Alzheimer’s disease treatments that helped mice, none have been beneficial to people. But why do Alzheimer’s treatments that show so much promise in animals never work on human beings? Even though mice and humans look slightly different from each other, they share 92% of their DNA. Additionally, humans and mice have identical genes. One would think a drug that targets and activates a gene in mice would also activate the gene in humans, but this is not always true.
How many genes are in the brain of a mouse?
Even though genes in mice and human brains are quite different, some parts of the body in humans and mice are more alike. When researchers from the Broad Institute of Harvard and MIT compared the expression of genes in human and mice immune systems, only 169 genes were turned on in one species but off in the other, a much smaller number than the 9,000 genes on in one species but off in the other in the brain. However, a change to a single gene can be the difference between success and failure in clinical trials. This illustrates that, while mice may model the immune system of humans better than the brain, studies that show drug efficacy in immune disorders should still be treated with caution.
How do humans and mice function differently?
A recent study published in Nature by Hodge et al. showed that even though humans and mice share the same genes , they function differently in the cells of different animals. In order for a cell to perform its job properly, it needs to make specific proteins unique to that cell. These proteins are the worker bees, the ones that actually do the job of a cell, and the directions used to make these proteins are encoded in sections of DNA called genes. A gene is like a very important sentence of a book that a cell can read every time it wants to make the protein encoded by the gene. The more the cell reads the gene, the more the gene is expressed, and the more protein that is made. All of the 20,000 genes in the human genome can be read an infinite number of times, allowing a cell to make many different types of proteins particular to its needs.
Where is the FIAU protein located?
In humans, the transporter protein is also located on the mitochondrial membrane, so FIAU enters the mitochondria and poisons this important energy-generating part of the cell. The mouse transporter is not located on the mitochondria, so FIAU cannot enter the mitochondria and exert its toxic effect.
Can mice model the immune system?
This illustrates that, while mice may model the immune system of humans better than the brain, studies that show drug efficacy in immune disorders should still be treated with caution.
Do humans and mice have the same DNA?
Even though mice and humans look slightly different from each other, they share 92% of their DNA. Additionally, humans and mice have identical genes. One would think a drug that targets and activates a gene in mice would also activate the gene in humans, but this is not always true.
Mouse Clinical Trial Study Design Optimization through Improved Analysis
Mouse clinical trials (MCTs) are population studies using PDX models to assess efficacy and predict drug responders in preclinical oncology drug development. More closely replicating the clinical trial situation than other preclinical studies, MCTs provide highly predictive data and are becoming more widely used.
Using LMMs to Optimize MCT Study Design
Some of the most frequently asked questions when designing an MCT are:
Choose Model Numbers Based on Study Aims
While these provide general guidance for choosing PDX/mouse model numbers, you should also balance this with your study aims. Guidelines above are for efficacy testing.
Further Benefits of LMM in Mouse Clinical Trial Study Design
LMM can also address some additional study design questions. Within traditional data analysis starting tumor volumes need to be matched, but this is not needed for this more sophisticated system.
Conclusion
Designing and optimizing mouse clinical trials often starts with the same questions around finding the right number of PDX and mice for your agent. Using an LMM approach is a proven method and key to MCT optimization.
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Affiliations
Leisa Johnson is at Genentech, South San Francisco, California 94080, USA.
Competing interests
The author is an employee of Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. She owns restricted stock units and stock options in Roche. Genentech/Roche owns all patent rights for which employees are listed as an inventor or co-inventor.
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