System for automating animal testing protocols

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9497928-B2
Application number	US-201013376671-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 8, 2010
Priority date	Jun 8, 2009
Publication date	Nov 22, 2016
Grant date	Nov 22, 2016

Abstract

In one aspect, the present invention provides a housing system for conducting high throughput animal experiments. The housing system includes a home cage, at least one rotatable turnstile enclosed by housing to form two or more isolation chambers, a means for animal identification, and one or more action stations functionally coupled to one or more isolation chambers. The turnstile includes a plurality of one or more separation members rotatable about a vertical axis, each isolation chamber bounded by one or more separation members. The action stations contain one or more devices facilitating completion of at least one animal-directed or experimenter-initiated action. In a preferred embodiment, the home cage is sufficiently sized to house a plurality of small animals, such as mice. Tunnel passageways may be connected to the home cage, including one or more tunnel passageways containing a rotatable turnstile. Additional embodiments include rotatable turnstiles, rotatable turnstile assemblies, and methods of conducting high throughput animal experiments using the devices and systems described herein.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A housing system for conducting high throughput animal experiments comprising:
a home cage sized to house a plurality of animals;
at least one rotatable turnstile enclosed by a turnstile housing to form two or more isolation chambers;
one or more action stations functionally linked to one or more of said isolation chambers;
wherein the turnstile comprises one or more separation members rotatable about a vertical axis, each of said isolation chambers being bounded by at least two of said separation members and a portion of the turnstile housing, each of said isolation chambers being sized to accommodate only a single animal;
wherein at least one of the one or more action stations comprises a device facilitating completion of an animal-directed or experimenter-initiated action, and
wherein the turnstile housing comprises a base, walls, and a ceiling, each of the base and ceiling being connectively linked to the turnstile and the walls, the walls laterally extending around the turnstile to form one or more open regions configured for connective engagement to the one or more action stations, rotatable turnstiles, or tunnel passageways.

2. The system of claim 1 , further comprising guides attached to the base, the walls, and the ceiling, wherein the guides are grooved so as to facilitate slotted attachment to the one or more action stations, and wherein the guides comprise ledges facilitating slidable attachment to the base.

3. The system of claim 1 , further comprising means to attach the one or more action stations to the base, the walls, and the ceiling.

4. The system of claim 1 , further comprising means to lock the turnstile in register with one of said isolation chambers so as to facilitate lockable engagement between any one of the isolation chambers and the one or more action stations.

5. The system of claim 1 , further comprising means to ensure unidirectional rotation of the turnstile, wherein the means to ensure unidirectional rotation comprises motorized control of the shaft of the doors, motor, stepper motor, servo, solenoid driven ratchet, freewheel clutch, or other motorized device.

6. The system of claim 5 , wherein means to ensure unidirectional rotation of the turnstile comprises a freewheel clutch.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein when the turnstile is partially rotated and out of register, the animal cannot move from one of said isolation chambers to another of said isolation chambers.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein when the turnstile is in register, the animal can move from one of said isolation chambers to another of said isolation chambers.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein the ceiling comprises means for identifying the rotational position of the turnstile.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein each of said separation members comprises a curved distal end portion which extends in a single circumferential direction such that upon rotation of the turnstile, the curved distal end portions of the turnstile define a circle.

11. The system of claim 10 , wherein the curved distal end portions of the turnstile curve in a direction opposite a rotation direction of the turnstile.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the base comprises a floating floor configured to allow weight measurements.

13. The system of claim 1 , wherein the turnstile housing is connected to more than one tunnel passageway.

14. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the action stations comprises a feed hopper.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein at least one of the action stations comprises a tactile stimulus device comprising a plurality of overlapping stimulus presentation members.

Assignees

• Garner Joseph P
• Niedziela Michelle Murphy
• Fox Edward A
• Purdue Research Foundation

Inventors

• Garner Joseph P
• Niedziela Michelle Murphy
• Fox Edward A

Classifications

• A01K29/005

  Monitoring or measuring activity · CPC title

• A01K1/031 Primary

  Cages for laboratory animals; Cages for measuring metabolism of animals · CPC title