Mouse housing system using pressurized cages intraventilated by direct-current microfans

Area of Science:

• Laboratory animal science
• Animal welfare technology
• Rodent housing systems

Background:

• Conventional filter-top (FT) cages may not consistently maintain optimal environmental conditions for laboratory mice.
• There is a need for innovative caging solutions that ensure stable intracage environments.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct an initial assessment of a novel pressurized intraventilated (PIV) caging system for laboratory mice.
• To compare the environmental parameters within PIV cages versus traditional FT cages.

Main Methods:

• Twenty-nine pairs of female SPF BALB/c mice were housed in either PIV cages (n=19) or FT cages (n=10).
• Intracage environmental parameters including pressure, air speed, air changes per hour, and ammonia concentration were monitored over time.
• Both cage types were housed in a standard room with conventional atmospheric control, and intracage temperatures were equilibrated with ambient conditions.

Main Results:

• PIV cages demonstrated a significant pressure difference between days 1 and 8.
• A decreasing trend in air speed and air changes per hour was observed in PIV cages.
• Ammonia concentrations increased in both systems over time, with significant differences emerging between PIV and FT cages from day 1.

Conclusions:

• The microfan-based PIV caging system presents a simple, reliable, and cost-effective solution for laboratory mouse housing.
• The system requires low maintenance and has a low incidence of failures.
• Further studies are warranted to evaluate the impact of the PIV system on mouse reproductive performance and pulmonary health.