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Frequently Asked Questions about HLBS Mouse Resources
What kinds of mouse models are being developed by the HLBS Center?
The Mouse Heart, Lung, Blood, and Sleep Disorders Center at The Jackson Laboratory is involved in both strain characterization and in generating new mutant mice to serve as models of HLBS-related diseases.
Details about the HLBS Center and the research protocols can be found at the Center's website.
Where can I find information about HLBS Mouse Resources?
As new phenotypic deviant and mutant mice are identified, they will be posted at the HLBS Center Web site. We will post information on all phenotypic deviants that are detected. However, only those phenotypic deviants that are relevant to Heart, Lung, Blood, and Sleep disorders will be further characterized by the Center.
We also will regularly announce the availability of new phenotypic deviants and mutants using the Mouse Genome Informatics E-mail list. If you would like to subscribe to this list, visit the MGI-List website
The information related to strain characterization will be made available to the scientific community via the Mouse Phenome Database.
What is the difference between a phenotypic deviant and a mutant?
Phenotypic deviant mice have one or more trait measurements that, based on an initial survey, appear to be out of the normal range compared to baseline values. These mice also may have physical dysmorphologies that are apparent by simple observation of the animals. These deviations may or may not be heritable. After retesting to confirm the initial observation, the phenotypic deviant is posted on the Center's Web site.
Phenotypic deviants are considered to be mutant mice if the aberrant trait or traits that they display are proven to be heritable.
How can I get phenotypic deviant and confirmed mutant mice from the Center?
Information about availability is posted for each phenotypic deviant and confirmed mutant mouse produced by the HLBS Center. The availability of a particular phenotypic deviant or confirmed mutant mouse will depend, in part, on the demand.
Deviant mice that are considered high priority will be posted on the Center's Web site as soon as the deviant trait is confirmed by retesting. The availability of these mice is subject to the completion of heritability testing and the establishment of a breeding colony that is sufficient in size to supply breeding pairs to all interested investigators. This process usually requires a minimum of 6 to 9 months but may take longer if the demand is high. High priority deviants are defined as those with an extreme or unusual phenotype; mutants with 2 or more affected siblings. It is anticipated that the Center will discover approximately 5 high priority mutants each year.
All deviants that are not relevant to the Center's primary mission as well as those deviants that are considered to be low priority will be available for 30 days on a first come first serve basis. The deviant and all of its littermates will be sent. Low priority deviants are those for which the aberrant traits are mild and/or are in a category for which multiple mutants have been identified previously.
About 50 phenotypic deviants each year will be chosen to test for heritability. In these cases, information about the mice will be posted, but it may not be possible to get mice for several months while the matings are set up to produce progeny.
We will map the chromosomal location of the genetic mutation for about 50 confirmed mutants each year.
How can I get the data associated with a phenotypic deviant or mutant mouse?
Not all of the data that may be associated with a phenotypic deviant or confirmed mutant mouse are currently available via the HLBS Web site. However, if you are interested in a particular mouse, send an email to the contact person provided on the phenotypic deviant report, and the data will be sent to you for evaluation.
How often is new information posted to the HLBS Web site?
New phenotypic deviants and confirmed mutant mice are posted to the HLBS Web site within two weeks of their confirmation. We do not post phenotypic deviants unless the aberrant traits are confirmed by retesting.
Where do I find more information about the HLBS Center?
A description about our Center can be found at our website .
Where do the funds come from to support the HLBS Center?
The Mouse Models of Heart, Lung, Blood, and Sleep Disorders Center at The Jackson Laboratory is funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)'s Program in Genomic Applications program (HLB66611).
Ten other PGA Centers have been funded by the NHLBI PGA program. Links to these other centers can be found at the NHLBI Program in Genomic Applications website.
Program for Genomic Applications (PGA)
Supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) (Grant # HL66611)
