Open AccessThe occurrence of tarsal injuries in male mice of C57BL/6N substrains in multiple international mouse facilities
Author(s) -
Eleanor Herbert,
Michelle Stewart,
Marie Hutchison,
Ann M. Flenniken,
Dawei Qu,
Lauryl M. J. Nutter,
Colin McKerlie,
Liane Hobson,
Brenda Kick,
Bonnie L. Lyons,
Jean-Paul Wiegand,
Rosalinda Doty,
Juan Antonio Aguilar-Pimentel,
Martin Hrabě de Angelis,
Mary E. Dickinson,
John R. Seavitt,
Jacqueline K. White,
Cheryl L. Scudamore,
Sara Wells
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plos one
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.99
H-Index - 332
ISSN - 1932-6203
DOI - 10.1371/journal.pone.0230162
Subject(s) - lameness , tarsal joint , tarsal bone , calcaneus , hindlimb , medicine , tarsus (eyelids) , synostosis , anatomy , pathology , surgery , ankle , eyelid
Dislocation in hindlimb tarsals are being observed at a low, but persistent frequency in group-housed adult male mice from C57BL/6N substrains. Clinical signs included a sudden onset of mild to severe unilateral or bilateral tarsal abduction, swelling, abnormal hindlimb morphology and lameness. Contraction of digits and gait abnormalities were noted in multiple cases. Radiographical and histological examination revealed caudal dislocation of the calcaneus and partial dislocation of the calcaneoquartal (calcaneus-tarsal bone IV) joint. The detection, frequency, and cause of this pathology in five large mouse production and phenotyping centres (MRC Harwell, UK; The Jackson Laboratory, USA; The Centre for Phenogenomics, Canada; German Mouse Clinic, Germany; Baylor College of Medicine, USA) are discussed.