About the Core Facility
The Transgenic Mouse Core Facility (TCF) is a service for all research groups of the University of Copenhagen as well as external researchers. The Facility generates genetically modified mouse models using different techniques.
The analysis of defined mutations in specific genes is crucial to understand the in vivo function of molecules expressed during development, in cell and tissue maintenance and repair processes, and in a wide range of pathological processes.
Genetically modified mice are of tremendous importance in fundamental and clinical research and are the model of choice for investigating the molecular mechanisms underlying specific human diseases in a whole-organism environment. Genetic alterations in mice can be used to establish new mouse models or to improve existing ones. The use of such highly specific mouse models reduces the time and the number of animals required to obtain clinically relevant results.
Research, equipment and mice
The TCF has special microscopes with micromanipulators for the injection of nucleic acids and ES cells into mouse embryos and equipment for freezing of mouse embryos. Embryonic stem cells are handled in state-of-the-art cell culture labs. At the animal house, we keep special mouse strains for the generation of mouse embryos and for the transplantation of modified embryos. All mice are kept in internally ventilated cages (IVCs) with enriched environment and are checked daily for their well-being.
Constantly, new techniques are evolving to generate genetically modified mice quicker or more efficient. Since it is our aim to provide novel as well as state-of-the-art transgenic services to the users, we will test and establish these techniques at the core facility.
For this reason, we carry out externally funded research projects where new techniques are applied and further developed in the context of a specific biological question.
We help you from start to finish
At the Transgenic Mouse Core Facility scientists and expert technicians will help you establishing genetically modified mice using different techniques. We will discuss with you alternative strategies, generate and modify murine embryonic stem (ES) cells, inject mRNA, DNA, or ES cells into early embryos and transfer these embryos into pseudopregnant recipient mice.
In addition we also “archive” genetically modified mice as embryos frozen in liquid nitrogen and rederive mouse strains from frozen stocks.