
Core facilities
Animal biochemistry

Fluid-phase biomarkers of disease are an invaluable tool both for diagnostic and for monitoring purposes in patients. Likewise, reproducible, reliable and cost-effective determinations of disease biomarkers detectable in body fluids are a requirement in pre-clinical research carried out in mouse models.
The Clinical Chemistry and Haematology service is available to screen the major metabolic function of mice. In order to bypass the drawback involved in working with small sample volumes, well established technologies utilized in human biochemical science have been adapted to optimize and validate reliable assays.
Organization
The diagnostic laboratory is staffed by experienced laboratory technicians. The range of procedures and tests conducted in-house is complemented and expanded by use of established outside reference laboratories when necessary, as coordinated by the laboratory.
Clinical Chemistry includes: blood and urine biochemistry, serum protein electrophoresis (SPE) and HPLC metabolites determination. Automated blood cell counts are also performed.
In clinical chemistry, 21 parameters of serum biochemical tests are measured. About seventy micro-L of mouse serum are used for the determination of a number of common serum biochemical parameters and enzymatic activities. These tests are performed with ILab Aries (Instrumentation Laboratory), a bench top analyzer which can perform photometry, turbidimetry and potentiometry test. ILab Aries has to be regarded as a “Complete system”, made up by Instrument, Reagents, Validated Applications and Support.
Liver profile |
Symbol |
Albumin (g/dL) |
ALB |
Alkaline phosphatase (U/L) |
ALP |
Alanine amino transferase (U/L) |
ALT |
Aspartate amino transferase (U/L) |
AST |
Direct bilirubin (mg/dL) |
DBILI |
Total bilirubin (mg/dL) |
TBILI |
Cholinesterase (U/L) |
CHE |
Lactic dehydrogenase (U/L) |
LDH |
Kidney profile |
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Urea nitrogen (mg/dL) |
UREA |
Uric acid (mg/dL) |
UricAc |
Creatinine (mg/dL) |
CREA |
Heart profile |
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Aspartate amino transferase (U/L) |
AST |
Creatine kinase (U/L) |
CPK |
Lactic dehydrogenase (U/L) |
LDH |
Pancreas |
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Amylase (U/L) |
AMY |
Other |
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Calcium (mg/dL) |
Ca |
Iron (µg/dL) |
Fe |
Glucose (mg/dL) |
GLU |
Total cholesterol (mg/dL) |
CHOL |
HDL-cholesterol (mg/dL) |
HDL |
LDL-cholesterol (mg/dL) |
LDL |
Triglycerides (mg/dL) |
TRIG |
Total protein (g/dL) |
TP |
Note 1: Please keep in mind that volume is a limiting factor. In general a maximum amount of 60 to 120 μL of serum can be collected from a healthy adult mouse so not all chemistries can be measured on the same sample. Requests should be made in order of priority.
Note 2: Severe hemolysis levels compromise reliability of biochemical determinations. Here the scale of Hemolysis.
Serum protein Electrophoresis (SPE)
SPE is a well established technique routinely used in clinical laboratories for screening of serum and some other fluids for protein abnormalities. It is based on the principles of zone electrophoresis performed on a suitable and effective agarose support medium. For routine diagnostic applications, serum proteins separate into five major fractions, primarily according to their charge at a given pH: albumin, alpha-1 globulins, alpha-2 globulins, beta globulins and gamma globulins.
To investigate mice serum protein profile or monitor M-spike development, Sebia kits are used in conjunction with semi-automated HYDRASYS apparatus (Sebia, Bio-Parc d'EVRY, France) according to the manufacturer’s instructions. Finally, software Phoresis provides user-friendly interaction with the operator for result review. Volume Sample required are 20 µL of serum.
HPLC amino acids and metabolites determination
Profile and quantification of plasma/serum or urine metabolites and amino acids are provided. Single amino acids (homocysteine, cystine) determinations are also available. Required quantity: 50 µL of serum/plasma and 100 µL of urine.
Complete Blood count is performed with analyzers which have been carefully validated for the analysis of mouse blood (WBC, WBC count, RBC, HGB, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, PLT, and reticulocytes).
Equipment used: Idexx Procyte analyzers. Volume required:± 80 µl of total blood are necessary for the analysis. Suitable EDTA tubes are provided.
Serum/Plasma for Biochemistry and Serum protein Electrophoresis (SPE)
- collect blood and put it in eppendorf tube with/without (plasma/serum) anticoagulant (communicate to the operator the collecting method).
- leave the samples at environment temperature for at least 30’ minutes.
- centrifuge the samples at 3000 rpm for 10 min.
- collect the supernatant being careful not to take the precipitate.
Storage/Shipment
Serum/plasma are stable at 4°C for 24h. For storage longer: freezing samples at -20°C for Biochemical tests and at -80°C for SPE.
Note: samples should be free of haemolysis to avoid artefacts.
Blood for Hematology
- Blood samples should be collected into K3EDTA coated tubes. - placed tubes (if possible) on a rotary mixer for at least 30 min
- No centrifuge, hematolgy requires whoole blood.
Storage: samples should be analyzed during the date of draw and about 24 hours is the longest we recommend to delay before analysis.
Shipment: ship the samples at 4°C. Avoid direct contact of blood tubes with ice packs (cells are susceptible of freezing damage).
Urine
Please avoid the feces and bedding mixing with urine.
Storage/Shipment: urines are stable at 4°C for 24h. For storage longer: freezing samples at -20°C.
Note: To provide a correct concentration of analyte, collection of urine over a 24 h period is desiderable.
Biochemistry |
Inside Users |
Outside users |
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Non-Profit |
Profit |
Serum/plasma and urine biochemical test |
€ 3.0 /test |
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€ 3.9 /test |
€ 6.0 /test |
Hematology |
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Full blood count + differential profile (WBC, RBC, HGB, HCT, MCV, MCH, MCHC, PLT) and reticulocytes |
€ 7.0 /sample |
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€ 9.1 /sample |
€ 14.0 /sample |