The development and refinement of bioluminescent/fluorescent orthotopic xenografts models to reduce harm and improve animal welfare

摘要

As a pre-clinical cancer research facility, we constantly strive to improve our xenograft models to more accurately reflect the patient situation, whilst also refining techniques and reducing animal numbers to improve welfare in-line with the 3Rs principles. To this end, we have developed a number of singly- and doubly-transduced xenograft cell-lines, whose growth and development can be monitored bioluminescent and/or fluorescently in real-time using the IVIS Spectrum imaging system, allowing us to monitor cell viability as well as specific biological parameters such as apoptosis and hypoxia and the development of metastases.