Argonne National Laboratory, Building 900, Industrial Technology Development Center, 9700 South Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439

A -- RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT POC Manager, Biology Program, email: coreform@anl.gov, Phone 1-800-627-2596 Argonne National Laboratory, operated by the University of Chicago, under contract with the U. S. Department of Energy, is seeking an industrial partner interested in developing and marketing nesting boxes for excreta collection form mouse dams through parturition. Analyzing excretion pathways and metabolites excreted by animals, such as mice or rats, after exposure to substances through pregnancy, parturition, and lactation is currently not possible because of the housing requirements of dams with newborn pups. Excreta are not easily and quantitatively collected from the bedding used in a conventional plastic rodent cage. Furthermore, dams cannot deliver in a metabolism cage because the newborn pups fall into the excreta collection area, out of reach of the dams. The needs of animals housed in laboratory settings are also being more closely scrutinized than ever before. Nest boxes simply for environment enhancement within the laboratory animal cage setting (not usable in metabolism cage setting) are currently being designed. Our nest box takes advantage of and meets the needs dictated by natural mouse behavior; it gains commercial value by responding in a very timely way to current trends in laboratory animal care. Important questions are being asked regarding whether medicines are safe for pregnant or nursing women. To answer these questions, metabolic. studies need to be conducted in animals during pregnancy and lactation without excluding the periods before, during, and after, birth of the offspring. Our nest box provides a way to conduct these studies. All toxicology testing companies that test drugs for pharmaceutical companies will see commercial value in the nest box; it will allow them for the first time to study drug metabolism throughout pregnancy and lactation in mice or rats. Posted 08/14/98 (W-SN237136). (0226)

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