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Updated: Jun 1, 2026
Video Imaging and Spatiotemporal Maps to Analyze Gastrointestinal Motility in Mice
Published on: February 3, 2016
Use of fluoroscopy to study in vivo motility in mouse pups
Kent Williams1, Tatsuki Koyama, Daryl Schulz
1Department of Pediatrics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX, USA. kent.williams@vanderbilt.edu
Objectives:
Few methods exist to noninvasively study in vivo gastrointestinal motility in animal models of enteric infections. None have been used on mouse pups, which often display more severe symptoms during enteric infections than adult mice. This study sought to determine whether digital fluoroscopy could be used to evaluate gastrointestinal motility in mouse pups as well as adult mice.
Materials And Methods:
Fluoroscopic imaging studies were performed on normal 6- to 8-week-old adult mice and 12-day-old pups to develop protocols for evaluating gastric and intestinal wall movements and changes in stomach sizes. These protocols were then applied to evaluate motility in an established rotavirus mouse model. Imaging studies were performed on adult mice at 0, 2, and 4 days postinfection and on 12-day-old pups at 2 days postinfection.
Results:
Fluoroscopic studies revealed postnatal differences of gastric peristalsis and rates of intestinal contractions between normal mouse pups and adult mice. Studies of the rotavirus mouse model revealed that differences in gastric function occur between rotavirus-infected and control mouse pups, but no discernible difference occurs between infected and control adult mice. In contrast, there were no detectable differences in rates of intestinal wall movements between control pups with normal stools and infected pups with loose stools.
Conclusions:
These results demonstrate that fluoroscopy can evaluate in vivo motility in mouse pups and by doing so provide findings that are clinically relevant to the study of enteric infections in young.
Insights
Digital fluoroscopy can assess gastrointestinal motility in young mice, offering insights into enteric infections. This noninvasive method reveals differences in gastric function between infected and control pups, unlike in adults.
Area of Science:
- Gastroenterology
- Animal models
- Infectious disease
Background:
- Studying in vivo gastrointestinal motility in animal models of enteric infections is challenging.
- Existing methods are not suitable for young mouse pups, who often experience severe symptoms.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of digital fluoroscopy for assessing gastrointestinal motility in mouse pups and adult mice.
- To establish protocols for noninvasive motility studies in young and adult mice.
Main Methods:
- Developed fluoroscopic imaging protocols for gastric and intestinal movements in adult mice and pups.
- Applied protocols to study rotavirus-infected and control adult mice and pups.
- Collected imaging data at specific time points post-infection.
Main Results:
- Identified postnatal differences in gastric peristalsis and intestinal contractions between pups and adults.
- Observed distinct gastric function changes in rotavirus-infected pups compared to controls, but not in adult mice.
- Found no detectable differences in intestinal wall movement rates between infected and control pups with varying stool consistency.
Conclusions:
- Digital fluoroscopy is effective for evaluating in vivo gastrointestinal motility in mouse pups.
- This technique provides clinically relevant findings for studying enteric infections in young animals.
