Mice Except where otherwise indicated, all mice in the present experiments were C57BL/6J purchased from the Animal Resources Centre in Western Australia (http://www.arc.wa.gov.au/). They were housed in a temperature-controlled environment with a 12:12 h light:dark cycle and ad libitum access to standard Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical rodent pellets and water. All

mice were >8 weeks old (i.e., sexually mature) at the beginning of experimentation and mice in each experiment were age matched and randomly assigned to different experimental groups. Mating Mated mice were housed together in pairs continuously for 7 days in standard mouse boxes. Experimental Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical groups were male–female pair (mated), male–male pair (control males), and female–female pair (control females). No other manipulations were performed except for standard animal husbandry (daily observation and topping up food and water when necessary), which was applied equally across experimental groups. Female mice were

checked for pregnancy Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical at the time of killing. Environment enrichment Environment-enriched mice (males only) were housed together in groups of n = 6 mice each continuously for 14 days in nonstandard boxes measuring 27 cm wide, 42 cm long, and 16 cm deep. Mice were assigned to one of three different groups: (1) standard housed (SH) comprising litter only; (2) running wheel (RW) comprising SH plus 2 RWs (per cage); and (3) environment enriched (EE) comprising RW plus toys (ropes, ladders, tunnels, and objects) with which to explore, play, climb, Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical hide,

and nest. EE mice were also “super-enriched” for 1 h/day 5 days (Monday–Friday)/week. Super enrichment occurred at the same time each day (usually midday during the light cycle) Inhibitors,research,lifescience,medical and comprised placement into a larger cage (46 cm wide, 69 cm long, and 40 cm deep) containing novel toys. These toys were cleaned with soapy water and 80% ethanol after each session and a different set of toys was presented at each session. These mice were returned to their EE cage Multiple myeloma following super enrichment. Tissue collection, processing, Cilengitide and immunohistochemistry Immediately following the behavioral manipulations, mice were killed with sodium pentobarbitone (100 mg/kg i.p.) and perfused intracardially with 37°C heparinized phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) followed by 4% paraformaldehyde in PBS (1.15 mL/g body weight). The brain was removed and placed in PBS containing 30% sucrose for 2–3 days. Serial promotion information sections (40 μm thick) were cut through the midbrain and pons in the coronal plane using a cryostat. Every fourth section was incubated in 5% normal goat serum and 0.

No related posts.