The ColonyRack is an innovative system for the automated tracking of a large number of mice. A standard cage rack is equipped with interconnecting tubes that allow the passage of animals through all cages in the rack. All tubes have RFID transponder readers that will record each passage of a tagged animal with time and position.
The system operates 24/7 for extended periods of time producing accurate data about the movement of all animals contained in the system. Detailed maps and patterns of movement are derived from these data sets. Long term studies about the change in general activity, social interaction, and movement patterns become possible.
The ColonyRack was developed in close cooperation with the group of Prof. Dr. Gerd Kempermann at the DZNE, Dresden.
Hardware features:
All cages and tubes are easy to remove for cleaning and maintenance.
Customized systems with different cages or number of cages are possible.
Software features:
References:
Ehret F, Pelz MS, Senko AN, Soto KEG, Liu H, Kempermann G. Presymptomatic Reduction of Individuality in the AppNL-F Knockin Model of Alzheimer’s Disease. Biol Psychiatry. 2023 Nov 1;94(9):721-731. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2023.04.009. Epub 2023 Apr 17. PMID: 37076091. read more
G. Kempermann et al., (2022). The individuality paradigm: Automated longitudinal activity tracking of large cohorts of genetically identical mice in an enriched environment. Neurobiology of Disease. read more
S. Zocher et al., (2020). Early-life environmental enrichment generates persistent individualized behavior in mice. Science Advances. read more