CEMIB - Research Lines

Bioterism Center

Research lines

Science in Laboratory Animals. The behavior of different strains of isogenic mice in parasite infections is studied (Approved by the Department/Scientific Council in 1985).

Implementation of a mouse and rat embryo bank at Cemib/Unicamp. The embryo bank for mice and rats has the primary objective of ensuring the genetic and sanitary quality of models created for biomedical research. The methodology adopted for collecting and implanting embryos is international. This technology allows the genome of foundation colonies to be perpetuated safely, without genetic drift. Murine embryos are also used for cytotoxicity tests of culture media for human embryos. This Section also preserves the genome of rodents important in the Epidemiology of Trypanosoma cruzi, such as Calomys callosus. (Approved by the Department/Scientific Council in 1985).

Health control of mouse and rat colonies at Cemib/Unicamp. Diagnostic methodologies are developed to monitor the sanitary quality of laboratory animals. The Animal Quality Control Laboratory aims to transfer technology to National and International Vivariums to monitor the quality of animals in the Specific Pathogen Free, Gnotobiotics category. Antibody Free and axonal viruses. Services are provided to national and foreign vivariums. (Approved by the Department/Scientific Council in 1979).

Gnotobiology. Gnotobiology's development is associated with the use of isolators to maintain animals free of specific pathogens, antibody free and axonal viruses. CEMIB developed technology with National raw materials for the production of flexible PVC insulators for hysterectomy of mice and rats and maintenance of the respective Foundation colonies. In the Quarantine Section the imported matrices of interesting animal models for biomedical research (mutants, recombinants, isogenic, congenic, co-isogenic, F1, F2, transgenic) In this way, Cemib/ Unicamp maintains matrices of models of human diseases such as diabetes, immunodeficiency, hypertension, muscular dystrophy, etc., for the scientific community at Unicamp and to provide matrices for other National and American Institutions do Sul. (Approved by the Department/Scientific Council in 1985).

Productivity of SPF animal colonies at Cemib/Unicamp. From all strains of mice and rats created at the Unicamp Multi-Institutional Center for Bioterism, biological parameters are recorded that indicate the degree of productivity of the females, the reproductive performance of the colony and numerous data that reveal genetic stability and quality. of the animals. These data are compared with literature and provide support for squad planning. The Institutions that receive the Cemib matrices are also informed of these parameters, which are duly registered and monitored in the CEMIB database. Squad monitoring is computerized. (Approved by the Department/Scientific Council in 1990).

Feed for rodents from Bioterios. In this study, the quality of the feed is evaluated in terms of nutrients, microbiological quality, as well as a study of the PERop of the feed compared to international standards with casein (AIN90). From the results obtained, Cemib is assured that the nutritional standard of the feed after autoclaving maintains all growth and productivity parameters of the animal colony. This work also aims to provide advice on choosing a supplier, so that the preparation of nutrients meets the animals' requirements. The development of this line of research is carried out at the Faculty of Food Engineering, in the Department of Nutrition (DEPAN). Unicamp also participates in attracting new companies to develop feed for laboratory animals. (Approved by the Department/Scientific Council in 1990).

Cooperation in the area of Immunoparasitology. The immunological profile of immunodeficient animals is characterized, such as production of antibodies, immunological markers of lymphocytes, histocompatibility antigens, reactions to autologous and heterologous grafts, response to thymus-dependent antigens and thymus-independent strains, production of hybridomas, characterization of the response of immunodeficient mice to Trypanosoma cruzi and the response of isogenic recombinant strains in trypanosomiasis.
Some strains are evaluated against parasitism by Toxoplasma gondii, Schistosoma mansoni, Cryptosporidium parvum and Plasmodium chabaudi. The parasite-host relationship is evaluated without the interference of external agents because the animals are kept in isolators throughout the experiment. (Approved by the Department/Scientific Council in 1985).

Genetics of mouse resistance to Trypanosoma cruzi. Various work methodologies are used with the purpose of studying the mechanism of resistance to Trypanosoma cruzi, aiming to map the gene(s) that control the phenomenon of resistance in isogenic mice. only experimentally infected with the trypanosomatid. To this end, two isogenic lines: A/J (A) and C57BL/6 (B) were challenged with 100000 trypomastigotes. The F1 product (BA and AB) from both strains is mated to each other to produce F2 segregants. High molecular weight DNA extracted from the spleen of mice susceptible and resistant to T. cruzi is tested against primers from the region of interest. Congenic animals must be produced with the resistance phenotype. The genome scan and chi-square test establish the distribution of genes involved in the mouse resistance mechanism to T. cruzi strain Y. Recombinant strains from Jackson are used to validate the results obtained. (Approved by the Department/Scientific Council in 1992).

Diagnosis of murine infections in colonies of mice and rats.Bacterial, viral and parasitic infections in colonies of rats and mice have been blamed for altering experimental results and causing human diseases associated with the handling of animals infected with zoonotic agents. Sera from rats and mice are evaluated by indirect immunofluorescence, inhibition of hemagglutination and enzymatic determination of LDH to search for 21 murine viruses, including murine hepatitis virus, Rotavirus, cytomegalovirus, Hantan, lymphocytic choriomeningitis , Sendai, Ectromelia, Mouse Coronavirus, Theiler's Encephalomyelitis, Reo type3. Among the bacteria tested are Pateurella pneumotropica, Clostridium piliforme, Mycoplasma pulmonis, Corynebacterium kutscheri, Bordetella bronchiseptica, Leptospira sp, Staphylococcus aureus, Staphylococcus sp coagulase negative, Streptococcus sp beta hemolytic (A,B,C,G), Streptococcus alpha hemolytic, gamma hemolytic, Streptococcus pneumoniae, Lysteria monocytogenes, Streptobacillus moniliformis, Salmonella sp, Shigella sp, Escherichia coli, Citrobacter rodentium, Citrobacter sp, Providencia sp, Enterobacter sp, Morganella morgani, Proteus mirabilis, Proteus sp, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Klebsiella oxytoca, Klebsiella sp, Serratia sp, Yersinia enterocolitica, Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Fungi: Candida albicans/Candida tropicalis. Dermatophytes: Tricophyton mentagrophytes, Microsporum canis, Epidermophyton flocosum. Hemoparasites: Eperythozoon coccoides and Haemobartonella muris. Toxoplasma gondii is also researched among servers. (Approved by the Department/Scientific Council in 1985).

Implementation of new strains for biomedical research. The Brazilian scientific community has few institutions to develop models of animal experimentation. Lineages of specific interest for some types of biomedical research to study human diseases are developed at Cemib/Unicamp with all the technology recommended by ICLAS (International Council for Laboratory Animal Science). The objective is to provide National researchers with special animal models that reproduce human diseases. The researcher counts on the lineage being imported by the Bioterism Center and once the foundation colony is established, each special lineage is made available for use.
CEMIB implanted 40 strains of mice and 6 strains of rats. (Approved by the Department/Scientific Council in 1990).

Production of flexible PVC insulators. For the technological development of Cemib so that animal colonies can be guaranteed to be of gnotobiotic quality, there was a need to develop national technology for the production of flexible insulators. The production processes for this equipment with accessories are currently the subject of a patent. Currently, the country has this resource for the production of animals free from specific pathogens, virus-free and axenic animals. Isolators for hysterectomy were developed and are in operation at Cemib/Unicamp, allowing new strains from other institutions to be transferred to Cemib and implemented with new sanitary quality through gnotobiology and cryobiology procedures. (Approved by the Department/Scientific Council in 1985).

Mouse and rat genetics laboratory.Since 1985, models adopted in biomedical research have been genetically monitored. There is an abundance of literature highlighting the importance of the genetic background for experimental planning and obtaining results. Currently, Cemib/Unicamp monitors the Center's animal lines as well as evaluating the genetic profile of colonies from other National Institutions. The activities developed in conjunction with the embryo cryopreservation laboratory will allow, in the near future, the production of transgenic mice of medical interest. (Approved by the Department/Scientific Council in 1993).