IN VIVO: WHITE MICE & ALBINO RABBITS AS SUBJECTS

In vivo

Experiments conducted inside living organism.

In vivo: White Mice and Albino Rabbits

- Essential for pre-clinical research before human trials.
- White mice and Albino rabbits are the most common animal models.
- Used in pharmacology, toxicology, immunology, genetics, and surgical research.

White Mice

- Share 95-98% genetic similarity with humans.
- Short reproductive cycle, easy to breed.
- Standardized strains ensure reproducibility.
- Large body of historical data available.

Albino Rabbits

- Larger body size suitable for surgical and ocular studies.
- Have similar eye structure to humans which is a key in opthamology.
- Similar with white mice, they are used in antibody production and vaccine testing.

- Selection of healthy (6-8 weeks old).
- Acclimatization (temperation, humidity, light cycle).
- Division into control & experimental groups.
- Drug administration (oral, IP, IV, SC, topical).
- Observation of outcomes.
- Data collection and analysis.

Methodology

- Standard feeds and water provided.
- Handling should minimize stress.
- Stress-free handling improves accuracy of results.

Housing and Handling

: 20-26 °C

Housing and Handling
Temperature for Mice :

15-21 °C

Housing and Handling
Temperature for Rabbits :

12- Hour Light/Dark Cycle

Housing and Handling
Albino Rabbits and Mice are typically house under?

Oral gavage
Intraperitoneal (IP)
Subcutaneous (SC)
Intravenous (IV)
Topical

DRUG ADMINISTRATION TECHNICIQUES

Oral Gavage

DRUG ADMINISTRATION TECHNICIQUES
direct delivery to stomach

Intraperitoneal (IP)

DRUG ADMINISTRATION TECHNICIQUES
injected into abdominal cavity

Subcutaneous (SC)

DRUG ADMINISTRATION TECHNICIQUES
under the skin

Intravenous (IV)

DRUG ADMINISTRATION TECHNICIQUES
tail vein injection

Topical

DRUG ADMINISTRATION TECHNICIQUES
skin or ocular application

Toxicology testing
- safety evaluation
Pharmacokinetics (ADME)
- absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
Pharmacodynamics
- drug effect on organism
Disease modeling
- cancer, diabetes, neurodegeneration
Biomedical studies

APPLICATIONS IN PRE-CLINICAL STUDIES

Genetic similarity to humans
→ Makes them reliable for systemic and molecular studies.
Short reproductive cycle
→ Enables fast generation of study populations.
Cost-effective and manageable
→ Easy to house and handle in large numbers.

ADVANTAGES
White Mice

Eye physiology similar to humans
→ Ideal for ocular research and drug delivery.
Skin reactivity
→ Reliable model for dermal irritation and cosmetic testing.
Larger body size
→ Allows repeated sampling and surgical interventions.

ADVANTAGES
Albino Rabbits 

Some results do not translate clinically
→ Findings may fail in human trials.
Small body size
→ Limits surgical and invasive experimental procedures.
Ethical concerns
→ Requires strict guidelines for humane use.

LIMITATIONS 
White Mice

Species differences
→ Drug metabolism may differ from humans.
Ethical issues in eye/skin testing
→ Concerns over pain and long-term distress.
Higher maintenance cost
→ More space, feed, and specialized care needed.

LIMITATIONS 
Albino Rabbits 

3Rs Principle: Replacement, Reduction, Refinement
Institutional Animal Care and Use Committees (IACUC).
International guidelines (OECD, EU Directive 2010/63)

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

- Humane endpoints to avoid unnecessary suffering.
- Anesthesia and analgesics when needed.
- Daily health monitoring.
- Proper housing and enrichment.

ANIMAL WELFARE

- In vitro cell cultures
- In silico simulations
- Organoids & tissue engineering

ALTERNATIVE ANIMALS TO USE
Limitation: cannot fully mimic whole - body physiology.

Pyrogen Testing

A test used to detect pyrogens (substances that cause fever, usually bacterial endotoxins) in medical supplies and drugs.

Rabbit Pyrogen Test (RPT)
Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) Test

Pyrogen Testing (Standard Methods)

Rabbit Pyrogen Test (RPT)

Pyrogen Testing (Standard Methods)
Albino rabbits used to detect temperature rise after injection of a test sample.

Limulus Amebocyte Lysate (LAL) Test

Pyrogen Testing (Standard Methods)
- Uses horseshoe crab blood (Limulus polyphemus/ Tachypleus tridentatus), which contains copper-based blue blood.
- Detects endotoxins:
Presence of clots = positive for pyrogens.
No clots = negative.