Aged Rodent Colonies
Last updated: March 1, 2024
The Translational Research Branch within the NIA Division of Aging Biology maintains colonies of barrier-raised, Specific Pathogen-Free (SPF) male and female mice and rats under a contractual arrangement with Charles River Laboratories. These animals are for research that is explicitly on aging and are not a source of adult animals for other areas of research. Limited numbers of animals from the NIA aged rodent colonies are available to investigators with active grants at academic and non-profit research institutions under the terms described on the Eligibility Criteria page. They are available free of charge (including shipping) and must be ordered through the Rodent Ordering System (see Ordering Instructions, Shipment of Animals, and Replacement Policy for more information).
Important Notices
Learn more about current notices below.
Animal Information:
Animals from the NIA aged rodent colonies are available to investigators at academic and non-profit research institutions.
On this page:
Available Strains
The following strains of male and female mice and rats are available through the Aged Rodent Colonies:
- Inbred Mice: C57BL/6JN, BALB/cByJNIA
- Hybrid Mice: BALB/cByJ x C57BL/6J F1(CB6F1)
- Inbred Rats: F344-cdf (Fisher 344), BN/crl (Brown Norway)
- Hybrid Rats: F344 x BN F1 (F344BN)
Foundation Stocks and Rederivation
The strains are rederived from pedigreed stock every 6-7 years. On documents from the supplier provided with the rodents, the ‘JN’ after C57B6 and the “JNIA” after BALB/c indicates that the foundation stock for these mouse strains came from The Jackson Laboratory but were bred in the NIA colony. The ‘-cdf’ suffix after F344 indicates the F344 colony was derived from Charles River Laboratories Fisher 344 rat foundation stock. Likewise, the ‘/crl’ suffix indicates the Brown Norway rats were from Charles River Laboratories foundation stock.
Available Ages
We strive to have animals available out to at least the 50% survival age (see “Strain Survival” below), but availability fluctuates due to changes in demand. An idea of the oldest available for each strain is available (see “Oldest Ages Available in the NIA Rodent Colonies” below), but the ages listed on this website are updated monthly and are intended only as an approximation. Contact the order desk for the availability of specific strain/gender/ages.
Strain Survival
The chart below provides the age at which 90%, 75%, 50%, 25% and 10% of the population has survived. These ages are averages derived from large populations (Turturro et al. Growth curves and survival characteristics of the animals used in the Biomarkers of Aging Program. J Gerontol A Biol Sci Med Sci. 1999 Nov;54(11):B492-501), so survival data in small groups of animals will vary. Please Note: Animals past the 25% survival age are frail and more sensitive to the stresses of shipping. Very old rats and mice are also more prone to underlying age-associated diseases. NIA does not typically ship animals past the 25% survival age.
% Survival |
90% |
75% |
50% |
25% |
10% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
F344-cdf Males |
14 mo. |
19 mo. |
22 mo. |
25 mo. |
27 mo. |
F344-cdf Females |
16 mo. |
21 mo. |
25 mo. |
29 mo. |
31 mo. |
F344BN Males |
25 mo. |
29 mo. |
34 mo. |
37 mo. |
38 mo. |
F344BN Females |
23 mo. |
26 mo. |
30 mo. |
34 mo. |
36 mo. |
BN Males |
22 mo. |
27 mo. |
32 mo. |
34 mo. |
36 mo. |
BN Females |
22 mo. |
27 mo. |
32 mo. |
35 mo. |
38 mo. |
C57BL/6 Males |
19 mo. |
24 mo. |
27 mo. |
30 mo. |
32 mo. |
C57BL/6 Females |
18 mo. |
22 mo. |
25 mo. |
28 mo. |
30 mo. |
Genetic and Health Monitoring
The colonies are monitored on a regular basis to detect genetic changes that could result from contamination. Colony animals are also monitored quarterly for pathology and evidence of pathogens. The results of the health monitoring for animals in the same room as your shipment will be sent with every animal shipment. Health summaries are also available on the Charles River Website. If your institution has specific health status requirements, health reports should be reviewed before placing the order, and acceptable barriers specified in the customer comments field on the order form.
Barrier Information
The NIA aged rodent colonies are located at Charles River Laboratories in Hollister, California (H); Raleigh, North Carolina (R); and Kingston, New York (K). The mice are housed in barriers H49, R12, K63, K94, K95, and K96. The rats are housed in barriers R05, R17, and K81.
The environmental conditions in the barriers are as follows:
Conditions |
Rats |
Mice |
---|---|---|
Temperature |
68°– 74° F |
68°– 74° F |
Humidity |
40-70% |
40 – 70% |
Water |
pH 6.8-7.2, <2 ppm chlorine |
pH 6.8-7.2, <2 ppm chlorine |
Light/Dark Cycle |
12 hr./12 hr. |
12 hr./12 hr. |
Bedding |
Sterilized hardwood chip bedding |
Raleigh and Kingston: Beta Chip (kiln-dried hardwoods); Hollister: kiln-dried aspen |
Feed |
Sterilized Purina Mills 5L79 |
Standard Autoclavable Diet (nutritionally similar to NIH31M diet) supplemented with heat labile vitamins to compensate for their loss in autoclaving |
Caging |
3 rats per cage |
4 mice per cage |
Oldest Ages Available in the NIA Rodent Colonies
The information below is updated monthly, but NIA does not guarantee the information is accurate at all times since orders are processed on a continuous basis. The oldest age available is dependent on demand from the research community, which is subject to change. Contact the order desk for more specific information on the availability of specific strain/gender/ages. Special instructions such as "No Tumors" or "No Cataracts" may lower the age of the oldest available.
Note: Due to limited availability, we cannot age animals out past the available ages for individual requests.
Strain | Gender | Oldest DOB Available* |
---|---|---|
F344 | M | November 2021 |
F344 | F | June 2022 |
BN | M | July 2021 |
BN | F | February 2022 |
F344BNF1 | M | March 2021 |
F344BNF1 | F | June 2022 |
BALB/c | M | June 2022 |
BALB/c | F | December 2021 |
C57BL/6 | M | September 2021 |
C57BL/6 | F | November 2021 |
CB6F1 | M | September 2021 |
CB6F1 | F | September 2021 |
*Few at older ages, email the order desk for details.