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，需要确定基因型的动物和受控的环境和健康状况。只有对遗传和环境变量进行细致的长期控制，才有可能维持相关的动物模型，这些模型可用于研究衰老过程中的许多生物和行为过程。因此，持续供应遗传上确定的、良好表征的近交系和杂交实验动物对于衰老研究计划至关重要。本项目的目的是开发、维持和分发一个老年F344大鼠的常设群体，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.