Animal Care and Germ-Free Core

Directed by, Dr. Lucy Kennedy, The Animal Care and Germ-Free Core plays a central role in the management of animal flow through the Center’s phenotyping cores from initial acquisition to final disposition of imported mice.  The gateway for all phenotyping involving live mice, the Animal Care and Germ-Free Mouse Core provides mouse importation, quarantine, housing, veterinary care, clinical chemistry and histopathology services; as well as, host a germ-free mouse facility that works to produce and distribute germ-free and gnotobiotic mouse models.

Whether dealing with experimentally induced conditions or spontaneously occurring diseases, the Animal Care and Germ Free Mouse Core offers a wide-array of expertise in laboratory animal pathology, pathology preparations, and services. 

Services that can be utilized individually or combined as a full service based on the needs of the project include:

Germ Free Mouse Isolater

The mission of the University of Michigan Germ-Free Mouse Core is to provide germ-free and gnotobiotic mouse models for investigators within and outside the University of Michigan. Germ-free mice are raised and housed in soft-sided bubble isolators and are monitored regularly to ensure that they are free of all exogenous microbes, including bacteria, fungi, parasites, and exogenous viruses. Gnotobiotic mice, colonized with defined microbial communities and/or specific pathogens, are housed in individually ventilated isocages, designed to prevent entry of any microbial contaminant. Germ-free mice housed in properly managed isocages remain germ-free indefinitely, and gnotobiotic mice remain gnotobiotic.

The core maintains a colony of germ-free C57BL/6, Swiss-Webster, and BALB/c mice that are available for purchase. Currently, IL-10 knockout mice on a C57BL/6 background are also maintained, and other knockout strains may be available. In addition to breeding, housing, and selling mice, the core offers hysterectomy-based rederivation services. SPF breeders can be shipped to the core where they will be bred and offspring rederived into germ-free isolators. The new germ-free line can be shipped back to the investigator or maintained in our breeding colony, when space allows.

Finally, the core provides technical services for performing experiments in house according to investigators’ protocol. In addition to microbial colonization by gavage, services include tissue and sample collection, body weight monitoring, genetic monitoring, etc. Consultation services are also available.

Please find our standard list of prices and services described in the table below. When you are ready to proceed, please follow the steps to submit a Request for Service.

Browse or Search for Services

Listed prices reflect internal UofM investigator rates, external customers are subject to additional fees, please inquire for a quote.

Test Number Test Name
MI1003
Quarantine per diem
Please Inquire
MI1004
Intra-University trucking
Truck Labor Rate/Hour $30.84 + Mileage per Mile $1.75
MI1005
Animal Health Surveillance-PCR Rodent Infectious Agent Testing
$30.00/ half hour rate
MI1006
Animal Health Surveillance fee (Collection for Pinworm PCR)
$30.00 / half hour rate
MI1007
Technician Service Fee/ Special Procedures
$60.00/hr
MI1008
Microchipping
Please Inquire
MI1010
Lab Sendout Processing Fee
$18.93
MI1011
CBC w/ auto differential
$18.98
MI1012
Blood smear (prep only)
$9.59
MI1013
Reticulocyte count
$27.41
MI1014
Blood Chemistry panel
$49.83 Full Panel
$36.42 Mini Panel
MI1015
Mini liver chemistry panel
$20.39
MI1016
Renal chemistry panel
$25.95
MI1017
Add'l chemistries per animal
$5.05
MI1018
Urinalysis - Complete Panel
$32.16
MI1019
Urinalysis - Routine Panel
$31.25
MI1020
Urinalysis - Aerobic Culture
$53.00
MI1021
Urinalysis - Anaerobic Culture
$34.97
MI1022
Urinalysis - Fungal Culture
$41.39
MI1023
Urinalysis - General Culture plus Sensitivity
$61.27
MI1025
White Blood Cell (WBC) Differential Count
$27.11
MI1026
Verify Ampule (autoclave control)
$15.26
MI1027
Small Animal Necropsy
$75.00
MI1028
Fixed Animal Necropsy
$78.00
MI1029
Necropsy technician fee
$60.00

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