| Abstract: |
Mice are the foremost laboratory animal species used in biomedical research today. This chapter provides an overview of the salient features pertaining to the design as well as the engineering features integrated into facilities in which mice are maintained and used; macro and micro environmental conditions and monitoring; operational considerations, caging systems, and equipment employed; and the materials routinely used. Provision of an appropriately designed and engineered heating, ventilation, and air-conditioning system is the single most important consideration in facility construction, because it is the most costly component and is a significant operational expense. The sophistication, complexity, and size of research facilities that support the rapidly expanding use of mice continue to escalate. It is not unusual to find mouse colonies at academic and industrial biomedical research institutions reaching tens of thousands of cages. In addition to providing stable environmental conditions that minimize physiologic perturbations, which may affect research results, research facilities must be designed and operated with optimal productivity and efficiency. © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved. |
