Re-Derivation to Specific Pathogens-Free (SPF) Status

Service Details      Service Charges      How To Order

Service Details

All live mouse importations from external institutions must be re-derived into the TCP animal facility. Exceptions include commercially available strains of mice.

The process involves obtaining embryos from the required strain that are washed and transferred into SPF pseudopregnant recipients. Samples of re-derived offspring will be provided to the investigator for genotyping. The offspring will be tested to verify their SPF status before the release.

All strains of mice can be re-derived, but the efficiency of the procedure depends on the robustness and fecundity of the strain. Inbred strains may require larger starting numbers. It is possible to eliminate viral (e.g. MHV, Sendai, parvovirus), bacterial (e.g. mycoplasma), and ectoparasite (e.g. pinworm, mites) infections. Using this method we re-derived 140 strains from contaminated mouse stock of SLRI Mount Sinai Hospital in preparation for the move into TCP in the summer of 2007.

Please, refer to Policies and Procedures for the required documentation such as valid Animal Use Protocol and Mouse Passport prior to the initiation of re-derivation.

There are several ways to re-derive imported animals into TCP. Please, find out from your collaborators if they can facilitate the shipment of these alternative options:

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1	Freshly collected pre-implantation stage embryos shipped to TCP Transgenic Core on the specified day: Embryo transfers on arrival (eliminating the step of importing live animals into the quarantine, mating and embryo collection)	Provide other facility's contact information or fill out the Embryo Shipping Form (MSWord) so we can co-ordinate the shipment of fresh embryos
2	Frozen embryos shipped to CMMR for temporary storage and cryorecovery.	See Cryo Recovery under CMMR's Embryo Services. Please contact for further details
3	Animals shipped to TCP containment* To maximize the chances of successful re-derivation, please, arrange the shipment of 3-5 males, if possible proven breeders.	Submit Live Animal Importation Request Form to Import/Export co-ordinator () before submitting the re-derivation service request and ensure that the new Mouseline is listed on the active AUP prior to the arrival of live animals into containment.

*For re-derivation from animals imported into TCP containment we will use wild type females of necessary background as embryo donors. If it is absolutely necessary to maintain the specific background and/or genotype of the strain and wild type donor females are not a feasible option for embryo collection and re-derivation, equal or double the number of females should be imported together with the males.

We also offer re-derivation of strains:

• From Samuel Lunenfeld Research Institute Mount Sinai Hospital archive of frozen embryos
• Located in TCP (e.g. from Floor 2 to Floor 1)
• Located in local animal facilities (using embryos collected from dissected oviducts delivered to TCP on the specified date)

Please, contact us for instructions how to co-ordinate the re-derivation with the last two options before submitting the service request.

We also can co-ordinate fresh embryo shipment for the export of your animals from TCP.

Service Charges

Service	Mount Sinai and Sick Kids Hospitals and University of Toronto Faculty of Medicine	External Canadian Academic	Other External Academic	For Profit Organizations
Animals housed in TCP containment (per re-derivation attempt)	$450	$585	$720	$900
Dissected oviducts delivered to TCP or animals housed in TCP on floor 2 (per re-derivation attempt)	$400	$520	$640	$800
Embryo shipment or cryorecovery from SLRI archive (per re-derivation attempt)	$350	$455	$560	$700
30% discount is applied if no embryos were collected i.e. no surgeries were performed in the re-derivation attempt
Service fees include: surgical embryo transfer into SPF pseudopregnant females following alternatively: superovulation, mating and collection of embryos embryo harvest from dissected oviducts delivered to TCP recovery of fresh embryos shipped to TCP Transgenic Core cryorecovery from SLRI archive of frozen embryos tissue biopsy at 2-3 weeks of age (ear/tail tissue collection) for genotyping by the investigator Service fees do not include: purchase of female embryo donors of required strain background animal housing (per diem) charges for donors in containment and for recipients and their offspring from the time of embryo transfer surgery repeated tissue biopsies export fees and shipping charges

How to Order

1. Refer to Policies and Procedures for the required documentation prior to the initiation of the re-derivation
2. Register for TCP LIMS account
3. Follow the instructions above depending on the source of the embryos
   
   • For fresh embryo shipment - fill out the Embyo Shipment Form or provide contact information to TCP Transgenic core
   • For frozen embryo shipment - fill out Cryorecovery service request for CMMR
   • For live animals shipment - submit Live Importation Request
   • For animals housed in TCP on Floor 2 or local animal facilities - contact us to co-ordinate the date
4. Once the details of the shipment/embryo source are confirmed (number of animals to be shipped, import approval, shipment arrangements etc), submit a service request: Login to LIMS and from the top menu go to Service Requests -> Request a TCP Service page , search with Department set to "TCP Transgenic Core and Specialty Resources", then select the Re-Derivation service request using appropriate source of embryos