Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine

2 ARTICLES PUBLISHED IN JoVE

Biology

Mouse Lumbar Vertebra Uniaxial Compression Testing with Embedding of the Loading Surface

Chandler A. Sparks^1,2, Ryeim B. Ansaf^1,3, Annette M. Gabaldón¹

¹Department of Biology, Colorado State University-Pueblo, ²Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, ³Department of Engineering, Colorado State University-Pueblo

In this protocol, two approaches are described to make uniaxial compression testing of mouse lumbar vertebrae more attainable. First, the conversion of a three-point bending machine to a compression testing machine is described. Second, an embedding method for preparing the loading surface that uses bone cement is adapted for mouse lumbar vertebrae.

Biology

Preparation of Agar Bead Embedded Mycobacterium abscessus to Inoculate Immunocompetent Mice Intratracheally

Julianna Proietto^*1, Betelhem Tatek^*1, Camilla Folvar^*1, Diana C. Jimenez², Ilham M. Alshiraihi^2,3, Mercedes Gonzalez-Juarrero², Fabio Saliu⁴, Federica Vacca⁴, Daniela Maria Cirillo⁴, Nicolà Lore⁴, Thomas Dick^1,5,6, Véronique Dartois^1,5, Wassihun Wedajo Aragaw¹

¹Center for Discovery and Innovation, Hackensack Meridian Health, ²Mycobacteria Research Laboratories, Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Pathology, Colorado State University, ³Department of Biological Sciences, College of Science, University of Tabuk, ⁴Emerging Bacterial Pathogens Unit, Division of Immunology, Transplantation and Infectious Diseases, IRCCS San Raffaele Scientific Institute, ⁵Department of Medical Sciences, Hackensack Meridian School of Medicine, ⁶Department of Microbiology and Immunology, Georgetown University

Mice are generally resistant to infections by Mycobacterium abscessus, which complicates the discovery and development of much-needed antibiotics against pulmonary infections. Here, we describe a method of inoculum preparation and intratracheal infection that was shown to deliver sustained infection in immunocompetent mice.