Clinical chemistry reference database for Wistar rats and C57/BL6 mice

Area of Science:

• Comparative physiology
• Biomedical research

Background:

• Reliable clinical chemistry reference intervals are crucial for animal research but are often lacking.
• Analytical methods are frequently not detailed in existing publications, hindering reproducibility.

Purpose of the Study:

• To establish clinical chemistry reference intervals in adult male and female Wistar rats and C57/BL6 mice.
• To investigate gender-specific differences and compare rodent data with human values.

Main Methods:

• Blood samples were collected from Wistar rats and C57/BL6 mice (n=30/group).
• Analysis included electrolytes, substrates, metabolites, enzymes, and cystatin C using commercial kits.
• Data were compared with existing literature and human data.

Main Results:

• Significant gender-specific differences were found in rats (electrolytes, retention parameters, transaminases) and mice (cholesterol, glucose).
• High variability was observed for sodium, potassium, glucose, creatine kinase, lactate dehydrogenase, and transaminases.
• Rodents exhibited significantly higher alpha-amylase activity compared to humans.

Conclusions:

• This study provides essential clinical chemistry reference values for common laboratory rodents.
• Significant gender-based variations and species-specific differences compared to humans were identified for numerous analytes.
• These findings are critical for accurate interpretation of preclinical studies and improving animal model relevance.