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Division of Experimental Animals

Aging Farm Mice/Rat Program

NCGG Provide Naturally Aged Mice and Rats. Healthy and Low Stressed Animals. Provide Biochemical and Hematological Results. Committed to animal welfare and 3Rs.

What we Provide...

Male and female mice:

  • C57BL/6NCrSlc

  • C57BL/6J

Male and female rats:

  • RccHan:Wistar

  • F344/NSlc

  • Slc:SD

National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology (NCGG) provides male and female mice C57BL/6J and C57BL/6NCrSlc, and rats RccHan:WIST, F344/NSlc, and SLc:SD.

Rush orders can be completed in as little as 48 hours. The mice and rats are available from 18 to 24 months. Other ages are available if young control animals breed in the same conditions are necessary; please contact us for more information.

The animal preparation includes:

  • Individual identification.
  • Transport cage preparation.
  • Health examination (including blood analysis).
  • Physiological records of the animals.
  • Microbiological monitoring results of the last 3 months.

The NCGG aging farm program also provides physiological, behavioral, biochemical, and serological data on our animals. It is possible to breed the animals in the NCGG facilities and conduct experiments in the center through an inter-center collaboration program. For more details, please contact us.

Aging animal farm Advantages. Why choose our animals?

  • Save time and resources.
  • Delivery of complementary physiological data.
  • Animals with low levels of stress.
  • Health status monitoring.

Save time and resources.

Thanks to the NCGG aging farm program, we can supply animals kept in our facilities, saving researchers time and money and thus facilitating research. Physiological and anatomical changes similar to humans were observed in aged mice and rats from 18 months of age. Therefore, keeping the animals for about two years is necessary for geriatrics and gerontological experiments. NCGG breeds naturally aged mice and rats for gerontology and geriatrics research. The center has been providing research animals for researchers of our center for about 30 years, and from the end of 2022, for external research. Researchers reduce breeding costs, with animals of all ages available, healthy, and ready for research.

Delivery of complementary physiological data.

 The NCGG saves valuable time and resources. The NCGG, under its Aging Farm program, not only provides mice (C57BL/6N and C57B/6J) and aged rats F344/NSlc, RccHan:Wistar, and Slc:SD. But also provides useful phenotypic information about the various strains before supplementing animals:

  • Hematological analysis.
  • Veterinary health check.
  • Behavior analysis.
  • Body weight and temperature.

Animals with low levels of stress.

Animals are individually checked daily, with changes in behavior, stereotypes, and feeding disorders. Our team of researchers studies the optimal conditions to reduce stress in our animals through different breeding strategies. Other types of enrichment, larger cage sizes, and reduction of group size are some strategies that our researchers use in animals with high stress levels or aggressiveness.

Health status monitoring

A veterinarian observes, monitors, and analyses the health status of the animals. The stress and pathology produced by fights or stereotypes negatively influence the state of health of aging animals, increasing the incidence of specific pathologies (renal amyloidosis, pituitary disorders, etc.). For this reason, our team specializes in maintaining a high health state for young animals.

Publications

  • Ueta R, Sugita S, Minegishi Y, Shimotoyodome A, Ota N, Ogiso N, Eguchi T, Yamanashi Y. DOK7 gene therapy enhances neuromuscular junction innervation and motor function in aged mice. iScience. 2020; 23: 101385. doi: 10.1016/j.isci.2020.101385.
  • Kawaguchi K, Asai A, Mikawa R, Ogiso N, Sugimoto M. Age-related changes in lung function in National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Aging Farm C57BL/6N mice. Exp Anim. 2023; 72: 173-182. doi: 10.1538/expanim.22-0109.
  • Okudaira N, Akimoto MH, Susa T, Akimoto M, Hisaki H, Iizuka M, Okinaga H, Almunia JA, Ogiso N, Okazaki T, Tamamori-Adachi M. Accumulation of senescent cells in the adrenal gland induces hypersecretion of corticosterone via IL1β secretion. Aging Cell. 2024; 23: e14206. doi: 10.1111/acel.14206.
  • Almunia JA, Munesue Y, Kawasaki H, Takano K, Kayahara C, Noma S, Morikawa N, Niida S, Ogiso N. Hematological and biochemical characterization of aging farm male rat strains in the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology. Exp Anim. 2025; 74 (1). doi: 10.1538/expanim.24-0028.
  • Ogiso N, Yuri S, Munesue Y, Nishikimi A, Watanabe A, Inui M, Takano K, Almunia JA, Niida S. Biological characteristics of age-related changes in C57BL/6 mice sub-strains in the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology Aging Farm. Exp Anim. 2025; 74 (2). doi: 10.1538/expanim.24-0095.

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Aging Farm Mice Physiological Results

Survival rate

The survival rate of two strains of mice.The survival rate of BsixN males was significantly lower than that of BsixN females, BsixJ females, and BsixJ males from nine months. The survival rate of B six N females significantly decreased from approximately twenty one mo, and was not significantly different from that of B six N males at twenty four months. The survival rate of B six J males was significantly lower at twenty four months than at three months and was significantly lower than that in B six J females at twenty four months.
The survival rate of two strains of mice (C57BL/6J (B6J) and C57BL/6NCrSlc (B6N)). Kaplan-Meier survival curves were estimated over the lifespan by strain. 
Table 1. The age (days) at which the survival rate of each strain descreased,

Body weight

BsixN male BW significantly increased from three months to fifteen months. B6N female BW significantly increased from three months to eighteen months and peaked at twenty-one months. BsixJ male BW significantly increased from three months to twelve months and peaked at eighteen months. BsixJ female BW significantly increased from three months to 15 months and peaked at twenty-four months.Changes in body weights of mice with aging (Mean ± SD)(C57BL/6J (B6J) and C57BL/6NCrSlc (B6N)).

Body temperature

BsixJ male body temperature was significantly lower than that in the other groups from six months old to eighteen months old, except at nine months old between BsixJ and BsixN males.

Changes in body temperature of two strains of mice with aging (Mean ± SD) (C57BL/6J (B6J) and C57BL/6NCrSlc (B6N)).

Food and water intakes

BsixN male food intakes were significantly higher at twenty four months old than at three months old and were significantly lower in B6J males. (Figure fourA). Water intake was significantly higher at twenty four months old than at three months old in BsixN males and BsixJ strain mice  (Figure fourB).

Changes in food (A) and water (B) intakes by two strains of mice with aging (Mean ± SD)(C57BL/6J (B6J) and C57BL/6NCrSlc (B6N)).

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Aging Farm Rat Physiological Results

Survival rate and Body weight

Body weight and survival rat of the three male rat strain of the NCGG. The body weight of SD was significantly higher than that of RccHan:WIST from three to twenty-one months old. The body weight of Fischer was significantly lower than those of the other two strains from three mo to twenty-four months old.

Body weights and survival rates of three rat strains. The body weight of rats at the indicated ages was measured (Mean ± SD) (n=30/age). Kaplan-Meier survival curves estimated over the lifespan by strain. (n=100-150/age).

Water and Food consumption

Water and food consumption of the three rat male strains of the NCGG. Water and food consumption by Fischer rat significantly decreased from twelve months old. Food consumption did not significantly change in RccHan:WIST and SD.

Food and water consumption of the three strains was calculated by measuring the consumption per cage for one week. (Mean ± SD) (n=30/age).

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Aging Farm Mice Hematology 

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Aging Farm Rat Hematology

Hematological results of our male rats

The red blood cell count of the three rat strains in the NCGG. The red blood cell count significantly increased from three to twelve months old in all strains and then gradually decreased after 15 months old to a similar level as that at 3 months old.

Red Blood Cell counts of three rat strains (Mean ± SD) (n=10-15/age). Different letters indicate significant differences between ages (P ≤0.05) (Steel’s test). All age groups were compared for age-related changes.

White blood cell count of the three male strain of rats in the NCGG. The White blood cell count was significantly higher in SD than in the Fischer strain from three to twenty-four months old. The White blood cell count was significantly higher in SD than RccHan:WIST at three and twelve months old, but no statistically significant differences were observed at twenty-four months old between these two strains.

White blood cell counts of three rat strains (Mean ± SD) (n=10-15/age). Different letters indicate significant differences between ages (P ≤0.05) (Steel’s test). All age groups were compared for age-related changes.

The percentage of lymphocytes and other leukocytes of the three male rat straisn in the NCGG. The percentage of lymphocytes and other leukocytes (neutrophils, basophils, and abnormal leukocytes) were quantified. The percentage of other leukocytes gradually and significantly increased until fifteen months old in all strains, while the increases from fifteen to twenty-four months old were not significant in any of the strains examined.

Percentage of lymphocytes and other leukocytes in three rat strains (Mean ± SD) (n=10-15/age). Different letters indicate significant differences between ages (P ≤0.05) (Steel’s test). All age groups were compared for age-related changes.

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Anatomopathological Characterization of our Mice Populations

Skin pathologies

The incidence of skin pathologies (including alopecia) significantly increased from six months old to nine months old in all BsixN strain and BsixJ females. After twelve months old, the incidence of skin pathologies increased in females.

Prevalence of skin pathologies in two strains of mice with aging from different batches (C57BL/6J (B6J) C57BL/6NCrSlc (B6N)).

Autopsy macroscopic findings

Survey on macroscopic findings of necropsies in colonies of aging CfiftysevenBL/sixJ mice housed at the National Center.
Survey on macroscopic findings of necropsies in colonies of aging CfiftysevenBL/sixNCrSlc mice housed at the National Center..

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Anatomopathological Characterization of our Rat Populations

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Contact us

National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology
Laboratory of Experimental Animals
474-8511 Prefecture of Aichi Obu City Morioka-cho 7-430 Japan

  • TEL: +81 0562-46-2311(5821)
  • FAX: +81 0562-46-8459
  • E-mail: animal[at mark]ncgg.go.jp