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Purpose
To assess mechanical sensitivity using calibrated von Frey filaments.
Experimental Design
Minimum number of mutant animals: 7 males + 7 females
Age at test: 10 weeks
Sexual dimorphism:
Procedure
- Habituation
- Place mice in the testing chambers on the elevated wire grid.
- Leave each mouse for an hour to acclimatise.
- The left hind paw is tested first using the following method.
- The 0.6g von Frey filament should be used as the starting filament.
- Apply the filament to the plantar surface of the hind paw. The filament should be applied with enough force to cause the filament to bend, and remain in contact for a total of 1-2 seconds.
- The size of the next filament to be applied will depend on the response to the previous filament.
- If no withdrawal response was observed then the next highest filament is tested.
- If there was a withdrawal response then the next lowest filament is tested.
- Continue applying filaments until the paw has been tested 5 times, with at least 2 minutes between each stimulus presentation.
- Repeat the testing process with the right hind paw.
- Test 1
- 24 hours after habituation, re-test the mouse with the von Frey filaments using the same procedure as described for the habituation period.
- Test 2
- 48 hours after habituation, re-test the mouse with the von Frey filaments using the same procedure as described for the habituation period.
Notes
This procedure is a pilot study from the Pain Phenotyping Pilot