Blood Collection

Abstract

Blood Collection Blood is most frequently sampled for evaluation of serum antibodies or analysis of surface markers on peripheral blood cells. This unit describes blood collection methodology for small rodents and rabbits. Blood collection is the most common interventional procedure conducted with laboratory animals and is an essential requirement for many studies. Selection of an appropriate method will depend on the species, amount of blood needed, frequency of sampling, and whether the animal's survival is required (see Commentary). The protocols offered in this unit describe collection of blood from the orbital sinus or plexus of the mouse, rat, or hamster. With appropriate techniques, small amounts of blood can be obtained with little ill effect on the animal. Collection from the auricular vein or artery of the rabbit is also relatively unstressful to the animal. Bleeding procedures that should be performed on the anesthetized animal include collection from the mouse axillary plexus, cardiac puncture of the mouse, rat, hamster, or rabbit, and collection from the hamster abdominal aorta or vena cava. All procedures benefit from training with an experienced animal technician. NOTE: Wear disposable gloves when handling animals in the following protocols. BASIC PROTOCOL 1 BLOOD COLLECTION FROM ORBITAL SINUS OR PLEXUS OF MOUSE AND RAT Materials Sterile saline or phosphate-buffered saline (PBS; APPENDIX 2) Microhematocrit tube Gauze sponge or swab Additional reagents and equipment for handling and restraint (UNIT 1.3) and anesthesia (UNIT 1.4) 1. Manually restrain and anesthetize the animal. 2. Introduce the end of the microhematocrit tube at the medial canthus of the orbit as shown in Figure 1.7.1. 3. Slowly, and with axial rotation, advance the tip of the microhematocrit tube gently towards the rear of the socket until blood flows into the tube.

The FKBP5 Gene Affects Alcohol Drinking in Knockout Mice and Is Implicated in Alcohol Drinking in Humans

“…An EtOH dose of 2.0 g/kg was injected intraperitoneally (IP). Tail blood was collected at 30, 75 and 120 min after IP injection, and plasma samples were spun down and stored at −80 °C until further analysis [60]. Plasma alcohol concentrations were measured using gas chromatography according to the instructions of the manufacturer (HP Agilent, Santa Clara, CA, USA).…”

Oral P. gingivalis infection alters the vascular reactivity in healthy and spontaneously atherosclerotic mice

“…), mice were subjected to the axillary plexus isolation and samples of blood were obtained by punction [24]. For each mouse two blood samples were collected.…”

Techniques of Experimentation

“…From a humane perspective, cardiac puncture ( Fig. The needle (23-gauge, 1 inch) is inserted at a 10-30° angle above the plane of the abdomen and directed cephalad toward the heart (Ambrus et al, 1951;Falabella, 1967;Krause, 1980;Simmons and Brick, 1970;Waynforth, 1980;Donovan and Brown, 2006). 4A, B) should be performed only on anesthetized animals as a terminal procedure.…”

“…Large quantities of blood may be obtained in terminal experiments using rodents by severing large vessels and exsanguinating the animal (Donovan and Brown, 2006). The inherent disadvantage of such a technique is that only one sample can be collected.…”