European comprehensive first-line phenotyping protocol for mice: results from a primary screen to evaluate behaviour and cognition

EUMORPHIA is an integrated research programme involving the development of new approaches in phenotyping, mutagenesis and informatics leading to improved characterisation of mouse models for the understanding of human physiology and disease. It focuses on the development, standardisation and dissemination of primary and secondary phenotyping protocols for all body systems in the mouse (www. eumorphia. org). One of the aims of EUMORPHIA is to develop the European Comprehensive First-line Phenotyping Protocol for mice (ECFLP Protocol). Research center members who are partners of Eumorphia are grouped in workpackages (WP), each dealing with specific body systems. The workpackages responsible for CNS, PNS, skeletal muscle system, behaviour and cognition have identified a high-through put battery of 9 primary tests to be included in the first-line screen. These tests are: Open field, Modified SHIRPA, immediately followed by grip strength assessment, Rotarod, Y-maze spontaneous alternation, Pre-pulse inhibition, Tail flick, Tail suspension, and Swim ability. The 9 tests are carried out in the order they are listed, at the approximate age of 8-10 weeks and with the appropriate resting time between different tests. For validation of this first-line test battery, all partners carried out these tests following previously agreed standard operating procedures (SOPs) as closely as possible with 10 - 20 male mice of the same 4 inbred strains (C57BL/6J, C3HeB/FeJ, BALB/cByJ, 129S2/SvPas) each coming from the same source for all centers. These four mouse strains were selected to standardise phenotyping platforms because they are common background strains that could be used in comparative phenotypic analyses of transgenics and knock-outs. Results from the validation of this first-line test battery in four Eumorphia centers are presented. Subsequently, tests to assess aspects of behaviour more differentially will be part of a secondary and tertiary phenotypic analysis.