Project Period 2013- 2018: This project involved the skeletal phenotyping of 220 viable knockout mouse lines obtained from the knockout mouse project (KOMP). These mice were randomly selected based largely on their availability from the Jackson Laboratories production site for KOMP. For this project, animals were bred, injected with mineralization dyes, and euthanized at Jackson laboratories, then animals were sent to us for phenotyping. Knockout mice were phenotyped at 12 weeks of age (n=8 females, n=8 males). Initial screening for skeletal phenotypes was performed by micro-CT and if this analysis revealed a significant variation in bone parameters, histomorphometry was performed. To learn more about this project, please select from the quick links menu items to the right and watch this video.

Project Period 2019-Present: This is an active project involving the adult skeletal phenotyping of heterozygous KOMP generated knockout mice that in the homozygous state are either embryonic lethal and postnatally subviable.  Mice from this project are selected based on a variety of criteria including gene expression, novelty, and/or some indications from initial IMPC phenotyping that a skeletal phenotype may exist. For this project, animals are being maintained at UConn Health in Farmington, so if you are interested in a particular KO line that is being actively maintained in our facility please contact us. Heterozygous knockout mice for this project will be phenotyped at 12 weeks of age (n=8 females, n=8 males). Initial screening for skeletal phenotypes was performed by micro-CT and if this analysis revealed a significant variation in bone parameters, histomorphometry was performed. We will also be performing a limited skeletal phenotyping analysis on late-stage homozygous knockout embryos. To learn more about this project and our the early stages of our progress, please watch this

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