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Updated: May 21, 2026
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A Protocol for Housing Mice in an Enriched Environment
Published on: June 8, 2015
Metal contamination in mice under conventional husbandry
C Fortmann1, T Goeen2, N Held3
1Department of Pediatric Surgery, Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
Toxicology Letters
|May 19, 2026
Summary
High levels of chromium and nickel in standard mouse cages can affect research. Modifying housing and diet reduced these metal levels in mice, highlighting the need for controlled environments in immunological studies.
Area of Science:
- Biomedical Engineering
- Toxicology
- Immunology
Background:
- Metal release from medical implants can cause hypersensitivity and immunologic reactions.
- Developing a mouse model for metal abrasion in the thoracic cavity is crucial for research.
- Conventional animal husbandry systems may contain high baseline levels of metals like chromium and nickel.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a suitable mouse model for analyzing metal abrasion effects in the thoracic cavity.
- To investigate the impact of conventional husbandry conditions on metal concentrations in experimental animals.
- To assess the efficacy of modified husbandry conditions in reducing metal exposure.
Main Methods:
- Groups of male C57BL/6J mice were housed in metal-free cages.
- Mice were fed a diet with reduced chromium and nickel content.
- Urinary concentrations of chromium and nickel were measured before and after the intervention.
Main Results:
- Transferring mice to metal-free cages and altering their diet significantly reduced urinary chromium and nickel levels.
- Statistical significance was observed for chromium reduction in most groups and nickel in one group.
- The study identified high baseline metal concentrations in conventional husbandry systems.
Conclusions:
- Conventional husbandry systems can introduce confounding metal contamination in experimental settings.
- Modifying housing and diet can effectively reduce metal exposure in mice.
- Understanding and controlling potential metal contamination is essential for accurate immunological and toxicological research involving medical implants.
