Aged F344 Rat Colony

NIA资助的研究项目使用啮齿动物来模拟人类的衰老过程和与年龄相关的疾病，要求动物具有明确的基因型和受控的环境和健康状态。只有对遗传和环境变量进行细致、长期的控制，才有可能维持相关的动物模型，这些模型可能用于研究衰老过程中的许多生物和行为过程。因此，源源不断地提供基因明确、特性良好的近亲繁殖和杂交实验动物对于衰老研究项目至关重要。该项目的目的是发展、维护和分配一个老龄F344大鼠的站立群体，以供研究人员在衰老研究中使用。

NIA funded research programs using rodents to model aging processes and age-related diseases in humans require animals of defined genotype and controlled environmental and health status. Only with the meticulous, long-term control of genetic and environmental variables is it possible to maintain relevant animal models that may be used to study many of the biological and behavioral processes in aging. Therefore, a continuous supply of genetically defined, well characterized inbred and hybrid laboratory animals is essential for a program of research on aging. The purpose of this project is to develop, maintain and distribute a standing colony of aged F344 rats for use by investigators in studies of aging.