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In vivo applications / Monitoring

ColonyRack

from Phenosys

The ColonyRack is an innovative system for the automated tracking of a large number of mice. A standard cage rack is equipped with interconnecting tubes that allow the passage of animals through all cages in the rack. All tubes have RFID transponder readers that will record each passage of a tagged animal with time and position. The system operates 24/7 for extended periods of time producing accurate data about the movement of all animals contained in the system. Detailed maps and patterns of movement are derived from these data sets. Long term studies about the change in general activity, social interaction, and movement patterns become possible.

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Hardware features

8, 18, or 70 cages in standardized rack mounts
Interconnecting tubes between all cages and levels
RFID readers at each connection
Micro-controllers and PC for data acquisition

All cages and tubes are easy to remove for cleaning and maintenance.

Customized systems with different cages or number of cages are possible.

Software features

24/7 data acquisition
Graphical user interface reporting detected individuals and position
Continuous tracking of all transponder activities
Open data format for easy import and analysis

Applications

Long-term investigation of social groups of animals
Animal friendly enrichment conditions
Monitoring of changes in activity, e.g. caused by aging

Benefits

Animal friendly
Easy to operate, clean, and maintain
Reliable long-term data

References

Ehret F, Pelz MS, Senko AN, Soto KEG, Liu H, Kempermann G. Presymptomatic Reduction of Individuality in the App^NL-F Knockin Model of Alzheimer’s Disease. Biol Psychiatry. 2023 Nov 1;94(9):721-731. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.04.009. Epub 2023 Apr 17. PMID: 37076091.

G. Kempermann et al., (2022). The individuality paradigm: Automated longitudinal activity tracking of large cohorts of genetically identical mice in an enriched environment. Neurobiology of Disease.

S. Zocher et al., (2020). Early-life environmental enrichment generates persistent individualized behavior in mice. Science Advances.