Severo Ochoa Molecular Biology Centre, Autonomous University of Madrid

Madrid

At the site of the Platform for Animal Experimentation Models in the Autonomous University of Madrid's Molecular Biology Centre a series of novel techniques have been developed, such as telemetry in conscious animals (ECG, arterial pressure, etc.), which enables reliable real-time records to be obtained of a series of physiological parameters in the murine species, namely: activity of the caged animal, body temperature, electrocardiogram, arterial and venous pressure, among others, continuously and without any need for the animal to be anaesthetised.

Telemetric implants constitute one of the most humane methods of monitoring laboratory animals, reducing the number of individuals needed for each experiment by as much as 90%.   Haemodynamic alterations have been detected to a lesser or greater degree in practically all the parasite infections to be studied in this project (T. cruzi, Plasmodium, Schistosoma; Toxoplasma; Leishmania, T. brucei).  Furthermore, they are fundamental for in vitro determination of the toxicity of any possible new antiparasitic drugs to be studied. In Spain, there are no public laboratories with experience of applying this technology to mice (a technique developed exclusively by us), though there are some private companies but these mostly use rats owing to their larger size.

Echography: Along with electrocardiography, this technique enables a more comprehensive and accurate follow-up and diagnosis of the progress of heart diseases due to infection by T. cruzi or other parasites, and also of other organs, such as the liver and kidney, due to infection by Schistosoma.

Blood analysis processing team.

Experience in extraction and perfusion of organs and micro-surgical approach.

Consideration is being given to the development of other techniques, such as optical imaging "in vivo".  This technique is based on detection of fluorescence emitted by a pre-marked molecular probe. This technique is starting to be used in parasitic infections, not only for follow-up of marked parasites, but also for immune response and pathology trials.

These techniques will enable a better understanding to be gained of the host-parasite relationship with emphasis on associated pathology, and are enormously useful for ascertaining the safety of possible antiparasitic drugs.