A device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein of mice

Abstract

This invention relates to a device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein. The invention includes a main shell and a replaceable base, which are detachably mounted. A placement platform is fixedly installed inside the main shell. The placement platform has a first baffle sliding track in the middle, one end of which is closed, and the other end of the first baffle sliding track is open and has a rotatable restraining buckle. The main shell also includes a front sliding baffle assembly, a rear baffle assembly, and a longitudinal fixator assembly. Sliding windows are provided on both sides of the main shell. This invention avoids the safety issues that may occur during the establishment of tumor-bearing mouse animal models, such as accidental injection of cancer cells into the hand, and the leakage and incorrect injection site caused by the active nature of mice during cell injection. In the saphenous vein blood collection experiment, it avoids sampling difficulties caused by stress responses in mice.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention belongs to the field of animal experimental auxiliary equipment technology, and relates to a device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein of mice. Background Technology

[0002] In the vast majority of life science research, human health and welfare studies are inseparable from the use of laboratory animals. In research on various physiological phenomena, pathological mechanisms, and disease prevention and treatment in humans, laboratory animals serve as substitutes for humans. Using laboratory animals removes limitations in methodology, means, conditions, and time, reduces ethical constraints, and allows for prospective studies (i.e., pre-designed studies), validation, repeated experiments, and readily available live specimens. Mice, widely used as laboratory animals, have the following characteristics: ① early maturity and high reproductive capacity; ② small size and easy to raise and manage; ③ docile temperament, timid and easily startled; ④ sensitive to external stimuli, intolerant of hunger, heat, and cold, and poor adaptability to the environment; ⑤ a particularly well-developed lymphatic system.

[0003] Cancer is a systemic disease characterized by gene mutations in certain cells within the body. Its harm lies not only in damaging various organs but also in causing various complications such as metastasis, fluid accumulation, and pain, ultimately leading to organ failure and endangering the patient's life. In recent years, advancements in molecular oncology and molecular pharmacology have gradually clarified the nature of tumors: the invention and application of advanced technologies such as large-scale rapid screening, combinatorial chemistry, and genetic engineering have accelerated drug development; research and development of anti-tumor drugs have entered a new era. Basic research on tumor immunology and the development of effective anti-tumor treatments both rely on experimental animal systems. The most commonly used tumor-bearing mouse model is widely used in pharmacodynamic studies of anti-tumor experiments in mice. In preparing tumor-bearing mouse models, a certain concentration of cells needs to be injected subcutaneously into the axilla of the mouse's forelimb. However, when researchers hold the mouse in one hand and the syringe containing cancer cells in the other, there is a certain probability that the needle will prick the researcher's hand, posing a safety hazard. Some researchers also choose to work in pairs to construct the model, where one person holds the mouse and its forelimbs to hold it in place, while the other person is responsible for the injection. This requires two people to work together for each experiment.

[0004] Saphenous vein blood collection generally does not require anesthesia. The skin on the lateral side of the animal's hind leg is prepared and disinfected. Blood is collected by puncturing the saphenous vein, while applying pressure to prevent hematoma formation. In the same experiment, blood collection sites should be kept as close as possible, as blood collected from different vein sites may be contaminated by surrounding lymph, resulting in significant differences in hematological and serum biochemical indicators. Furthermore, the duration of blood collection significantly affects stress indicators in the blood sample. Therefore, skilled operation and shortening the collection time are key factors in improving blood sample quality. The saphenous vein is rich in blood vessels and easily identifiable due to its superficial location. Operators can easily control the location and depth of the puncture point, effectively reducing errors during the blood collection process and greatly alleviating the animal's suffering. This method conforms to the "3R" principles of animal welfare and promotes the long-term healthy survival of animals; therefore, saphenous vein blood collection is recommended as one of the preferred methods for continuous micro-blood collection. During experiments, when performing saphenous vein blood collection on mice, the mice's pain response to external stimuli can make blood collection difficult, increasing the experimental complexity.

[0005] To address the aforementioned technical problems, this invention provides a device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein of mice. Summary of the Invention

[0006] The purpose of this invention is to provide a device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein of mice, so as to solve the problems existing in the prior art. It is simple to operate and can be operated by a single person, and provides safety for researchers during the operation.

[0007] This invention includes a main shell and a replaceable base, which are detachable and installable.

[0008] A placement platform is fixedly installed inside the main body shell. The placement platform has a first baffle sliding track in the middle. One end of the first baffle sliding track is closed, and the other end of the first baffle sliding track is open and has a rotatable limiting buckle.

[0009] The main body shell is also provided with a front sliding baffle assembly, a rear baffle assembly and a longitudinal fixator assembly;

[0010] The aforementioned front sliding baffle assembly includes a front baffle rod connector, a front baffle rod, and a front baffle;

[0011] The front baffle pull rod has a second baffle sliding track, one end of which is closed and the other end is open; the bottom of the front baffle is provided with a front baffle fixing block that can slide along the first baffle sliding track, and the front baffle is fixed to the closed end of the front baffle pull rod track by the front baffle fixing block, and slides along the first baffle sliding track under the drive of the front baffle pull rod; the front baffle has a frustum-shaped mouse head placement hole, and the open end of the track of the front baffle pull rod is detachably provided with a front baffle pull rod connector;

[0012] The rear baffle assembly includes a rear baffle rod and a rear baffle. The rear baffle is fixed to one side of the rear baffle rod by a rear baffle fixing block. The rear baffle fixing block can move along the first baffle sliding track and the second baffle sliding track. A tail placement groove is opened on the top of the rear baffle, and a disassembly groove is also opened on the rear baffle.

[0013] The longitudinal fastener assembly includes an arc-shaped fixing plate and a fastener rod. A fastener rod sliding groove is provided on the top of the main body shell. The fastener rod is interference-fitted with a fastener rod fixing block with a hole on the arc-shaped fixing plate through a bottom rubber column.

[0014] Sliding windows are provided on both sides of the main body shell. Each sliding window includes a fixed window, a sliding window, a window sliding track, and a ball-shaped buckle. Fixed windows are symmetrically opened on the side wall of the main body shell. The window sliding track is set on the upper and lower sides of the fixed window on the main body shell. The sliding window can be slidably installed outside the fixed window by setting a first window sliding groove and a second window sliding groove on the installation side of the window sliding track. A sliding window placement groove is provided on one side of the fixed window to facilitate the sliding of the sliding window. A ball-shaped buckle is set at the top of the other side of the fixed window through a U-shaped spring. The ball-shaped buckles are symmetrically arranged on the outer sides of the opening side of the U-shaped spring. One ball-shaped buckle is fixed to the main body shell, and the other ball-shaped buckle is elastically fixed to the groove set on the sliding window. A mouse limb fixation groove is opened on the side of the sliding window close to the main body shell.

[0015] The aforementioned device places the mouse's tail restraint and head restraint on a horizontal plane, allowing all components to move orderly within the device without harming the mouse, thus adhering to animal welfare principles. The small windows on both sides provide a clear view of the mouse's limb positions, facilitating researchers' assessment of the mouse's spatial location.

[0016] This device avoids the safety issues that researchers might encounter during tumor-bearing mouse animal model establishment experiments, such as accidentally injecting cancer cells into their hands. It also eliminates the risk of leakage and incorrect injection sites due to the active nature of mice. Furthermore, it significantly reduces the number of personnel required for the experiment, from one or two to just one person. In saphenous vein blood collection experiments, it avoids the sampling difficulties caused by stress responses in mice. Attached Figure Description

[0017] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall structure of the device of the present invention;

[0018] Figure 2 These are structural diagrams of the two types of bases used in the implementation.

[0019] Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the main body shell structure viewed from below;

[0020] Figure 4 This is a schematic diagram showing the connection between the chassis clips and the outer shell clips;

[0021] Figure 5 This is a cross-sectional view of the overall structure of the device of the present invention;

[0022] Figure 6 This is an exploded view of a partial structure of the main body of the present invention;

[0023] Figure 7 for Figure 1 A schematic diagram of the internal structure of the main body shell;

[0024] Figure 8 for Figure 1 Schematic diagram of the sliding window structure. Detailed Implementation

[0025] The present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments, but this is not intended to limit the present invention.

[0026] like Figure 1 As shown, a device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein of mice includes a main shell 1 and a replaceable base 2, which are detachable and installable.

[0027] like Figure 2 and 3 As shown, the upper surface of the replaceable base 2 is detachably connected to the slot 18 on the lower part of the main body shell via the chassis buckle 21 and the shell buckle 19 set in the slot, which facilitates base replacement. The shell buckle 19 is fixedly set in the slot 18.

[0028] The replaceable base 2 can be a clamp-type base 22 or a suction cup-type base 23;

[0029] The clamp-type base 22 adjusts the distance between the sliding clamp and the fixed clamp by setting an adjustable clamp on the lower surface of the base. In this embodiment, the clamp includes a fixed side and a movable side 221 arranged symmetrically. The fixed side is fixed to a long side of the lower surface of the base, and the two short sides are provided with inwardly folded clamp movable side rails 224. A groove is provided on the top of the movable side 221 at a position opposite to the clamp movable side rails 224, which can be slidably connected to the clamp movable side rails 224. The fixed side and the movable side 221 are movablely connected relative to each other by a clamp connecting rod 222. The clamp connecting rod 222 is a threaded rod. One end of the clamp connecting rod 222 is fixed to the movable side 221, and the other end of the movable side 221 passes through the fixed side and is provided with a knob 223. The clamp connecting rod 222 is threadedly connected to the side wall of the fixed side, so that while rotating the knob 223, the movable side 221 can move closer to or away from the fixed side along the clamp movable side rails 224, and the farthest distance does not exceed the length of any short side of the lower surface of the base. The adjustable clamps allow the base to be fixed above the mesh mouse cage, thus securing the entire device above the mouse cage or other suitable clamps for experimental operations.

[0030] The suction cup base 23 is attached to a smooth test platform by setting a rubber suction cup 231 on the lower surface of the base. It is suitable for experimental operations on desktops and other platforms, ensuring the stability of the device during the experiment while also being easy to use.

[0031] like Figure 4 As shown, the chassis clip 21 and the outer casing clip 19 are arc-shaped. At the same time, a groove with a thickness of 1 / 10 of the chassis clip thickness is opened on the side of the chassis clip 21 away from the outer casing clip 19. This provides space for the chassis clip 21 to deform during disassembly and assembly, making it easy to disassemble and fix.

[0032] like Figure 5 As shown, a placement platform 13 is fixedly installed inside the main body shell 1. The placement platform 13 has a first baffle sliding track 11 in the middle. One end of the first baffle sliding track 11 is closed, and a limiting buckle 17 is provided at the open end of the first baffle sliding track 11. One side of the limiting buckle 17 is fixed and rotatable to one side of the first baffle sliding track 131 through a hole and a pin 14. A limiting buckle placement groove is provided on the other side of the first baffle sliding track 131. During the experiment, the other side of the limiting buckle 17 fits into the limiting buckle placement groove, thereby fixing it.

[0033] like Figure 6 and 7 As shown, the main body shell 1 is also provided with a front sliding baffle assembly, a rear baffle assembly and a longitudinal fixing assembly;

[0034] The front sliding baffle assembly includes a front baffle rod connector 31, a front baffle rod 32, and a front baffle 33. A second baffle sliding track 322 is provided on the front baffle rod 32, with one end closed and the other end open. A front baffle fixing post 323 is fixedly installed at the closed end of the track. A front baffle fixing block 332 with a bottom opening is provided below the front baffle 33. The front baffle fixing block 332 is connected to the front fixing post 323 on the front baffle rod 32, and the front baffle fixing block 332 also serves as a slider that cooperates with the first baffle sliding track 11. The track opening end of the baffle pull rod 32 is provided with a pull rod joint mounting hole 321. One end of the front baffle pull rod joint 31 is inserted into the pull rod joint mounting hole 321 through the connector 311 and can be detachably installed with the front baffle pull rod 32. The connector 311 is made of rubber and its diameter is slightly larger than the pull rod joint mounting hole 321, and it is interference-fitted with the pull rod joint mounting hole 321. In order to facilitate pulling the front baffle pull rod joint 31 during operation, the other end of the front baffle pull rod joint 31 is symmetrically provided with front connector arc-shaped slots 312 on both sides, which are convenient for fingers to pinch and release. The front baffle 33 is provided with a frustum-shaped mouse head placement hole 331.

[0035] The rear baffle assembly includes a rear baffle rod 41 and a rear baffle 42. One end of the rear baffle rod 41 is fixed with a slider 412 that is installed in conjunction with the second baffle sliding rail 322. A rear baffle fixing post 413 is fixed on the slider 412. A tail placement groove 421 is opened on the upper part of the rear baffle 42. A rear baffle fixing block 423 with a bottom opening is provided below the rear baffle 42. The rear baffle fixing block 423 is fixed to one end of the rear baffle rod 41 by the fixing post 413. At the same time, the rear baffle fixing block 423 serves as a slider that cooperates with the first baffle sliding rail 11.

[0036] The rear baffle 42 also has a disassembly groove 422 for easy disassembly. When the rear baffle 42 needs to be disassembled, the limiting buckle 17 is perpendicular to the placement platform 13 and then passes through the disassembly groove 422.

[0037] The other end of the rear pull rod 41 has a symmetrical arc-shaped slot 411 for easy finger pinching and releasing.

[0038] The longitudinal fixation assembly includes an arc-shaped fixing plate 52 and a fixation rod 51. A sliding groove 52 for the fixation rod 52 is provided on the top of the main housing 1, allowing the fixation rod 52 to move vertically and along the sliding groove simultaneously. The fixation rod 52 is press-fitted with a fixing block 521 with a hole on the arc-shaped fixing plate 51 via a bottom rubber post 511. In use, the position of the arc-shaped fixing plate 52 is adjusted by manually pulling the fixation rod 51 vertically or along the sliding groove. Once the desired position is reached, the mouse is held in place by the weight of the arc-shaped fixing plate 52, achieving longitudinal fixation.

[0039] Sliding windows 6 are provided on both sides of the main body shell, such as Figure 8 As shown, each sliding window 6 includes a fixed window 61, a sliding window 63, a window sliding track 16, and a buckle 7. Fixed windows 61 are symmetrically opened on the side wall of the main body shell 1. The window sliding track 16 is set on the upper and lower sides of the fixed window 61 on the main body shell. The sliding window 63 can be slidably set outside the fixed window 61 by setting a first window sliding groove 62 and a second window sliding groove 63 on the installation side of the window sliding track 16. A sliding window placement groove 15 is set on one side of the fixed window 61 to facilitate the sliding of the sliding window 63. A ball buckle 72 is set at the top of the other side of the fixed window 61 through a U-shaped spring piece 71. The ball buckles 72 are symmetrically set on the outer sides of the opening side of the U-shaped spring piece 71. One ball buckle 72 is fixed to the main body shell, and the other ball buckle 72 is elastically fixed to the groove set on the sliding window 63. A mouse limb fixing groove 64 is opened on the side of the sliding window 63 close to the main body shell for fixing the mouse limbs (two upper limbs or two lower limbs are fixed by the two sliding windows on both sides).

[0040] In use, the experimenter fixes the device to the mouse cage using a clamp-type base (or to the experimental table using a suction cup base), then pulls the slider to extend the rear baffle backward. The experimenter can then grasp the mouse by its tail with one hand and place it into the gap between the rear baffle and the outer shell. The mouse will instinctively crawl into the outer shell. Once the mouse's entire body is inside, the experimenter can use their other hand to push the rear baffle slider back into the outer shell, simultaneously securing the mouse's tail in the tail placement slot of the rear baffle. The mouse's torso is then secured using the front sliding baffle assembly, the rear baffle assembly, and the longitudinal restraint assembly, thus immobilizing the mouse and exposing its armpits. This process can be completed by a single experimenter.

[0041] In the experiment to establish a tumor-bearing mouse animal model, cells were prepared into a cell suspension, and the cell concentration was adjusted. The device was then fixed to the mouse cage using the lower snap-fit ​​structure. The mouse's tail was then fixed to the snap-fit ​​plate. By adjusting the lower lever structure, the decoration securing the mouse's head was moved backward, thus fixing the mouse in place. The upper cover was then pressed down to hold the mouse's body in place. The displacement of the mouse's forelimbs relative to the window was then adjusted so that the forelimbs could just extend out of the window. The researchers then disinfected the armpits of the mice to be injected, injected the cell suspension, and slowly withdrew the needle to prevent leakage. Finally, the mice were removed from the device for recording and subsequent observation.

[0042] In the saphenous vein blood collection experiment, the initial fixation was the same as above. The mouse was fixed on the device, and then the displacement of the mouse's hind limb and the window was adjusted so that the mouse's hind limb could just extend out of the window. The researchers then shaved and disinfected the exposed hind limb and used an injection needle to collect blood.

[0043] Specifically:

[0044] First, pinch the arc-shaped slot 411 of the rear pull rod, raise the movable restriction buckle 17, push the rear pull rod 41 to the outside of the main body shell, then pinch the mouse tail to put the mouse into the main body, and then put the mouse tail into the mouse tail fixing slot 421 on the rear baffle 42 to fix the mouse tail.

[0045] Pull the rear lever 41 in the opposite direction to push the rear baffle 42 into the main body shell. Then, flatten the movement restriction buckle 17 to prevent the rear baffle 42 from sliding off the track due to the mouse's hind limb movement, improper operation by the experimenter, or other accidents.

[0046] Subsequently, the distance between the rear baffle 42 and the front baffle 33 is adjusted by the rear pull rod 41 and the front pull rod 32, allowing the mouse's head to enter the frustum-shaped slot 331 in the middle of the front baffle 33, thus fixing the mouse's head. The conical slot can be filled with sponge or similar material to flexibly fix the mouse's head and also ensure normal breathing for the mouse. At the same time, the mouse's forelimbs or hindlimbs are positioned in the mouse limb fixation slot 64 of the sliding window 6. After fixing the mouse, the longitudinal fixation rod 51 can be adjusted and pushed to move the longitudinal fixation device 51 inside the shell and fix the mouse's torso. Combined with the anterior and posterior fixation, the mouse is thus completely fixed.

[0047] After fixation, the mouse's forelimb can be pinched and pulled out of window 6 by hand or other experimental instruments. Then, the sliding window 6 is moved from back to front, so that the mouse's forelimb is fixed in the mouse limb fixation groove on the sliding window 6. The mouse limb fixation groove is lined with a flexible material (such as sponge). The sliding window is fixed to the mouse's forelimb or hindlimb in the mouse limb fixation groove 64 by U-shaped spring clips and ball buckles, so that it will not be easily pushed away by the mouse's limb force, and the operation is easy for the experimental operator to use. After the mouse's forelimb or hindlimb is fixed, the mouse's armpit is exposed at the window, and the injection experiment can be performed.

[0048] Using this device for injection experiments can reduce or solve experimental accidents and difficulties caused by improper handling of mice, mice breaking free from control due to various accidents, resulting in mouse bites or accidental injection injuries. Moreover, this device reduces the number of experimental personnel required.

[0049] The above description only points out the preferred implementation and operation scheme of the present invention; for those skilled in the art, several improvements and modifications can be made without departing from the principle of the present invention, and these improvements and modifications should also be considered within the scope of protection of the present invention.

Claims

1. A device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein of mice, characterized in that: Includes a main body shell and a replaceable base; the main body shell and the replaceable base can be detached and installed. A placement platform is fixedly installed inside the main body shell. The placement platform has a first baffle sliding track in the middle. One end of the first baffle sliding track is closed, and the other end of the first baffle sliding track is open and has a rotatable limiting buckle. The main body shell is also provided with a front sliding baffle assembly, a rear baffle assembly and a longitudinal fixator assembly; The aforementioned front sliding baffle assembly includes a front baffle rod connector, a front baffle rod, and a front baffle; The front baffle pull rod has a second baffle sliding track, one end of which is closed and the other end is open; the bottom of the front baffle is provided with a front baffle fixing block that can slide along the first baffle sliding track, and the front baffle is fixed to the closed end of the front baffle pull rod track by the front baffle fixing block, and slides along the first baffle sliding track under the drive of the front baffle pull rod; the front baffle has a frustum-shaped mouse head placement hole, and the open end of the track of the front baffle pull rod is detachably provided with a front baffle pull rod connector; The rear baffle assembly includes a rear baffle rod and a rear baffle. The rear baffle is fixed to one side of the rear baffle rod by a rear baffle fixing block. The rear baffle fixing block can move along the first baffle sliding track and the second baffle sliding track. A tail placement groove is opened on the top of the rear baffle, and a disassembly groove is also opened on the rear baffle. The longitudinal fastener assembly includes an arc-shaped fixing plate and a fastener rod. A fastener rod sliding groove is provided on the top of the main body shell. The fastener rod is interference-fitted with a fastener rod fixing block with a hole on the arc-shaped fixing plate through a bottom rubber column. Sliding windows are provided on both sides of the main body shell. Each sliding window includes a fixed window, a sliding window, a window sliding track, and a ball-shaped buckle. Fixed windows are symmetrically opened on the side wall of the main body shell. The window sliding track is set on the upper and lower sides of the fixed window on the main body shell. The sliding window can be slidably installed outside the fixed window by setting a first window sliding groove and a second window sliding groove on the installation side of the window sliding track. A sliding window placement groove is provided on one side of the fixed window to facilitate the sliding of the sliding window. A ball-shaped buckle is set at the top of the other side of the fixed window through a U-shaped spring. The ball-shaped buckles are symmetrically arranged on the outer sides of the opening side of the U-shaped spring. One ball-shaped buckle is fixed to the main body shell, and the other ball-shaped buckle is elastically fixed to the groove set on the sliding window. A mouse limb fixation groove is opened on the side of the sliding window close to the main body shell.

2. The device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein of mice as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The upper surface of the replaceable base is detachably connected to the slot on the bottom of the main body shell via a chassis buckle and a shell buckle set in the slot. The shell buckle is fixedly set in the slot.

3. The device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein of mice as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The replaceable base is either a clamp-type base or a suction cup-type base.

4. The device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein of mice as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The chassis latch and the outer shell latch are arc-shaped, and a groove is provided on the side of the chassis latch away from the outer shell latch.

5. The device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein of mice as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The limiting buckle is fixed and rotatable on one side of the first baffle sliding track by a hole and a pin; a limiting buckle placement groove is provided on the other side of the first baffle sliding track.

6. The device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein of mice as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The second baffle sliding track is fixedly equipped with a front baffle fixing column at its closed end. A front baffle fixing block with a bottom opening is provided below the front baffle. The front baffle fixing block is connected to the front fixing column on the front baffle rod. The front baffle fixing block is also a slider that cooperates with the first baffle sliding track. The track opening end of the front baffle rod is provided with a rod connector mounting hole. One end of the front baffle rod connector is inserted into the rod connector mounting hole and can be detachably installed with the front baffle rod. The connector is made of rubber and is interference-fitted with the rod connector mounting hole. Symmetrical arc-shaped slots for the front connector are opened on both sides of the other end of the front baffle rod connector.

7. The device for fixing tumor-bearing mice and collecting blood from the saphenous vein of mice as described in claim 1, characterized in that: One end of the rear baffle pull rod is fixed with a slider that mates with the sliding rail of the second baffle, and a rear baffle fixing column is fixed on the slider; a rear baffle fixing block with a bottom opening is provided below the rear baffle, and the rear baffle fixing block is fixed to one end of the rear baffle pull rod by the fixing column; at the same time, the rear baffle fixing block serves as a slider that mates with the sliding rail of the first baffle, and the other end of the rear baffle pull rod has symmetrical arc-shaped slots.

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