Hematologic and serum biochemical values of 4 species of Peromyscus mice and their hybrids

Deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) and congeneric species are used in a wide variety of research applications, particularly studies of developmental, physiologic, and behavioral characteristics associated with habitat adaptation and speciation. Because peromyscine mice readily adapt to colony conditions, animals with traits of interest in the field are moved easily into the laboratory where they can be studied under controlled conditions. The purpose of this study was to determine the serum chemistry and hematologic parameters of 4 frequently used species from the Peromyscus Genetic Stock Center species (P. californicus, P. leucopus, P. maniculatus, and P. polionotus) and to determine quantitative differences in these parameters among species and between sexes. Triglyceride values were substantially higher in female compared with male mice in all 4 species. Similar cross-species differences in MCH were present. Overall there was considerable interspecific variation for most blood parameters, with little evidence for covariation of any 2 or more parameters. Because crosses of P. maniculatus and P. polionotus produce fertile offspring, segregation analyses can be applied to determine the genetic basis of any traits that differ between them, such as their 3.8- and 2.1-fold interspecific differences in cholesterol and triglyceride levels, respectively. The current data provide a set of baseline values useful for subsequent comparative studies of species experiencing different circumstances, whether due to natural variation or anthropogenic environmental degradation. To enable such comparisons, the raw data are downloadable from a site maintained by the Stock Center (http://ww2.biol.sc.edu/∼peromyscus).