CLAMS WC Lab Animal Monitoring System for WASTE CAGES
Request InformationRequest SupportGeneral Information
Columbus Instruments’ Comprehensive Lab Animal Monitoring System for Waste Cages (CLAMS-WC) provides the most comprehensive picture of rodent voiding behavior. Systems are built on a semi-custom basis and can include any combination of the features listed below. Systems are easy to expand or upgrade with additional features later. This gives us the flexibility to meet the needs of any budget or any goal.
Features / Specifications
Waste collection with automated weight and event recording
Specimen freezing
Food intake with side-feeder
Automated food access
Drink monitoring with volume and event recording
Indirect calorimetry with Oxymax
Light controlled enclosure
Temperature and light controlled enclosure
Waste collection with automated weight and event recording
CLAMS-WC cages are designed to maximize living space while minimizing the surface area of the funnel beneath the floor. Keeping the funnel surface area small ensures higher collection yield and more accurate measurements. A separator at the bottom allows collection of urine and feces in separate vials. Those vials can be placed atop precision load cells for automated scoring for weight and time-stamped events.
Mouse chamber dimensions: | Rat chamber dimensions: |
- Livable area: 7 inches (17.75 cm) diameter, 5.625 inches (14.25 cm) ceiling height.
- Overall size with base and stand: 15 inches (38 cm) W, 11 inches (28 cm) D, 23 inches (58.4 cm) H.
|
- Livable area: 8 inches (20.3 cm) diameter, 5.125 inches (13 cm) ceiling height.
- Overall size with base and stand: 16 inches (40.6 cm) W, 11 inches (28 cm) D, 23 inches (68.6 cm) H.
|
Specimen freezing
Waste vials can alternatively be surrounded by a thermoelectric chiller to rapidly freeze the specimen, preserving it for later analysis. It is also possible to combine load cells and the chiller, albeit with reduced cooling capacity.
Food intake with side-feeder
Cages can be equipped with a side feeder of our own proprietary design. The feeder can house a load cell for automated feeding analysis. The feeder has some unique design features that nearly eliminates any food crumbs from falling down onto the funnel (where it would otherwise absorb urine or contaminate the specimen at the bottom).
Automated food access
The side-feeder can optionally be equipped with a servo motor and access door to control when the subject eats. This can be based on time, mass, or both. Yoked and paired feeding protocols are also supported.
Drink monitoring with volume and event recording
Our patented Volumetric Drinking Monitor is employed for this setup and is presented in a small side compartment, preventing any drips from falling down into the funnel. Water is delivered to the sipper on demand recording drinking volume to within 0.2µL.
- Patented [US # 6,463,879] micro pump technology
Indirect calorimetry with Oxymax.jpg)
The waste collection cages can be sealed air tight to allow for measurements of oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide production, respiratory exchange ratio, and energy expenditure. Our industry-leading Oxymax indirect calorimeter, with the most sensitive sensors in the market, can provide rapid, sequential data points despite the cage's large internal volume. Alternatively, cages can also be equipped with a continuous-sampling Oxymax-F.A.S.T. for true simultaneous measurements.
Light controlled enclosure
Our specially designed cabinet isolates the subjects from the goings-on in the room. Our programmable LED lighting features adjustable timing, brightness, and even color.
Temperature and light controlled enclosure
Alternatively, systems can be housed within a temperature and light controlled enclosure. Most commonly employed for thermoneutral temperatures, or cold-challenging down to 5°C, our enclosure is specially designed to maintain tight temperature uniformity across the entire operating range.
Ordering Information
Contact us for pricing and ordering information
References Cited (2)
Click on any of the following titles to search for the document in a new window using Google Scholar.
Some of these references may be difficult to locate using Google Scholar. If you are having trouble finding the correct reference paper, try searching for it on PubMed: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/PubMed
Transgenic Mice Expressing MCP-1 by the Urothelium Demonstrate Bladder Hypersensitivity, Pelvic Pain and Voiding Dysfunction: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain Research Network Animal Model Study
Suming Xu , Xu Wang , Yaoqin Wang, Susan Lutgendorf, Catherine Bradley, Andrew Schrepf, Karl Kreder, Michael O'Donnell, Yi Luo
PLOS ONE, Published: September 29, 2016
Evidence for the Role of Mast Cells in Cystitis-Associated Lower Urinary Tract Dysfunction: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Study of Chronic Pelvic Pain Research Network Animal Model Study
Xu Wang , Wujiang Liu , Michael O'Donnell, Susan Lutgendorf, Catherine Bradley, Andrew Schrepf, Liwei Liu, Karl Kreder, Yi Luo
PLOS ONE, December 21, 2016 http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0168772