Technique for performance and evaluation of parapharyngeal hypophysectomy in mice.

Mice at our institution were hypophysectomized to evaluate the effects of growth hormone on the expression of a transfected human factor IX gene. The hypophysectomy was performed in-house by using a parapharyngeal approach modified from previously published surgical techniques. Modifications included: 1) choice of ketamine-xylazine and isoflurane for anesthesia, with butorphanol for postoperative analgesia; 2) use of a V-trough for positioning mice correctly and consistently; 3) selection of increasing sizes of dental burrs to create a foramen in the cranial base through which the pituitary gland was removed; and 4) disuse of a tracheotomy for airway patency.

Comparison of simultaneous measurement of mouse systolic arterial blood pressure by radiotelemetry and tail-cuff methods.

Radiotelemetry of mouse blood pressure accurately monitors systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, heart rate, and locomotor activity but requires surgical implantation. Noninvasive measurements of indirect systolic blood pressure have long been available for larger rodents and now are being reported more frequently for mice. This study compared mouse systolic arterial blood pressure measurements using implanted radiotelemetry pressure transducer with simultaneous tail-cuff measurements in the same unanesthetized mice.