UniversityofMichigan

Uniquechallengesandfuturedirectionsrelatedto
managingmousegnotobiotic husbandryfacilities

ChrissJ.Vowles

UniqueChallengesandFuture
DirectionsRelatedtoManagingMouse
Gnotobiotic HusbandryFacilities
Challengesingermfreecolonymanagement
Nationalstandards
Germfreeanimalhealth
Accesstogermfree/gnotobiotic animals
Staffing
Funding
FutureDirections
Research
TraditionalExperimentalHousing
AlternativeBioexclusion System

FunctionandPurpose
Maintainagermfree
animalcolony
Husbandry
Colonymanagement

Gnotobiotic Research
Allocationofmiceto
experimentalspace
Collaboratewith
investigator
Design
Executionofexperiment

NationalStandards
LackofGnotobiotic
guidelines
Termgnotobioticonly
seenonpage52,70,and
135oftheGuideforthe
CareandUseof
LaboratoryAnimals,8th
edition

AnimalUseCommittee
Concerns
Physicalcagechanges
Dirtyisolator

GermfreeAnimalHealth
Abnormallylargececum
Occasionallyleadstogut
twist

Nutrition
Heatdegradationtofeed
Thiamine
VitaminK

Supplements

Irradiation
Sterilityoftenunreliable

AccesstoAxenic/Gnotobiotic Animals
CoreTechniciansand
VeterinaryStaffOnly
Veterinarystafftraining
Guided
Treatment
Sterile/new
Externallysterilize
packaging

Staffing
Lackofexperiencedstaff
Sixmonthsoftraining
Fatigue
Highstress
Nomistakes

Personalitytraits
Highattentiontodetail

Ergonomicburden

Funding
Veryexpensive
Space
Labor

Unrealisticforthecoretosupportitself
Alternativesourcesoffundingneeded

Staffsalaries
Specializedtraining
Nostandardforcompensation

Experiments
UserRequestForm

Investigatorfillsout
requestform
Staffapprovesrequest

Consultation

Scheduleexperiment

Gnotobiotic ExperimentalHousing
SoftsideIsolators
Pros
BasicPPE
Plasticgown,gloves

Lowriskofcontamination
Large,experimental
populationoptions

Cons
Onlyonemicroorganismat
atime
Crosscontaminationis
unavoidable
24houradvancedplan
Largefootprint

Gnotobiotic ExperimentalHousing
ClassIIBiosafetycabinet
Strictasepsis
Surgicalsterility

Pros
Easyaccess,withinminutes
Gooddexterity
Usebasic,staticcaging

Cons
Limitedspace
Highriskofcross
contamination
Largefootprint/lowmouse
density

HermeticallySealed,
IndependentlyVentilatedCages(IVC)

Tecniplast
Isocage P

HermeticallySealedCages

SmallIsolators

Allentown
SPP

AsepticManipulationBetween
Gnotobiotic Groups
SterilizeCabinet

Cage
Decontamination

Manipulate

SterilizeCage

AsepticallyDon
SterilePPE

SterilizingtheCabinet

Sterilize
Cabinet

CageDecon

Manipulate

SterilizeCage

Aseptically
Donsterile
PPE

SterilizetheExterioroftheCage

Sterilize
Cabinet

CageDecon

Manipulate

SterilizeCage

AsepticallyDon
sterilePPE

AsepticallyDonninginSterilePPE

Sterilize
Cabinet

CageDecon

Manipulate

SterilizeCage

AsepticallyDon
sterilePPE

Manipulation

Sterilize
Cabinet

CageDecon

Manipulate

SterilizeCage

AsepticallyDon
sterilePPE

CageDecontamination

Sterilize
Cabinet

CageDecon

Manipulate

SterilizeCage

AsepticallyDon
sterilePPE

IVCLimitations
ChlorineDioxideSterilant
(Exspor)
Contacttime
Toxicity
Corrosive

Time
Materials
Labor

Crosscontaminations
Rotatingcabinets

Maintenance
Valves
Springs
Plastic

CansealedIVCunitsreplaceisolators?
No
Isolatorsaresafertohousetheaxenic
colony
HermeticallysealedIVCsgreatlyincrease
efficiencyofexperimentation
Highriskofcontaminationdueto
individualhusbandryneeds

AdvantagesofHermeticallySealed
Cages
Nine,classIIbiosafetycabinets
Roughly2025cages
Maximumof9 experiments
456sq ft room
Replacedbyone,71cagedoubleunit
Norealisticgrouppopulation
restrictions
2014 completed84
2015completed120experiments
2016topresent over130
IncreasedFunding
Moreuserfeesgenerated

Summary
Challenges
Nationalstandards
Funding

Futuredirections
Alternativesterilant
HermeticallysealedIVCisamajoradvancementin
gnotobiotic experimentation

ThankYou!
NASILAR
Dr.KathrynEaton
SaraPoe
NatalieE.Anderson
TrishaJDenike