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Immunodeficient & Nude Mouse Models

Immunodeficient mice are invaluable tools in biomedical research, offering utility in studying various aspects of immunology, oncology, infectious disease, and cell and tissue transplantation. Their limited ability to mount an immune response permits the transplantation of mouse or human cells and tissues, enabling the development of novel therapies and vaccines through in vivo testing of potential therapeutics.

Immunodeficient mouse models also facilitate the study of diseases such as type 1 diabetes and autoimmune syndromes by allowing investigation of the mechanisms underlying immune system dysregulation. These mice play a crucial role in advancing our understanding of the immune system and in the development of innovative medical treatments.

The Jackson Laboratory offers a variety of immunodeficient mouse models, ranging from slightly immunocompromised (NU/J and J:NU) to extremely immunodeficient (NOD scid gamma and NOD Rag gamma), enabling a range of experimental procedures from murine cancer cell line engraftment to immune-humanization with CD34+ hematopoietic stem cells and PBMCs.

Strain NamesMature B CellsMature T CellsDendritic CellsMacrophagesNatural Killer CellsComplementLeakiness

NU/J

Inbred Nude
Model Benefits
  • Supports engraftment of some human and mouse tumor cell lines
  • Lack of fur allows easy assessment of subcutaneous tumor growth
  • Innate immunity remains intact
Strain Considerations
  • Homogeneous genetic lineage may reduce variability
  • Very limited engraftment of hematopoietic cancers
  • Not suitable for primary cell transplantation
PresentAbsentPresentPresentPresentPresentN/A

J:NU

Outbred Nude
Model Benefits
  • Supports engraftment of some human and mouse tumor cell lines
  • Lack of fur allows easy assessment of subcutaneous tumor growth
  • Innate immunity remains intact
Strain Considerations
  • More genetic diversity to model natural population variability
  • Very limited engraftment of hematopoietic cancers
  • Not suitable for primary cell transplantation
PresentAbsentPresentPresentPresentPresentN/A

B6 Rag1

Rag1 KO
B6.129S7-Rag1tm1Mom/J
Model Benefits
  • Radiation resistant, providing an alternative to scid mutants
  • Permits adoptive transfer from strains on B6 background, enabling the study of cell function and tracking of cell movement
Strain Considerations
  • Innate immunity intact
  • Poor host for primary cell transplantation
AbsentAbsentPresentPresentPresentPresentAbsent

B6 Rag2 KO

Rag2 Ko
B6.Cg-Rag2tm1.1Cgn/J
Model Benefits
  • Radiation resistant, providing an alternative to scid mutants
  • Permits adoptive transfer from strains on B6 background, enabling the study of cell function and tracking of cell movement
Strain Considerations
  • Innate immunity intact
  • Poor host for primary cell transplantation
AbsentAbsentPresentPresentPresentPresentAbsent

BALB/c scid

Balb/c scid
CBySmn.Cg-Prkdcscid/J
Model Benefits
  • Allows engraftment of allogeneic and xenogeneic cancer cell lines
  • Engrafts hematopoietic cancer cell lines and some primary cells
  • Improved engraftment efficiency compared to nude models for some cell lines
Strain Considerations
  • Innate immunity remains intact
  • NK cell activity limits engraftment of some primary cells and tissues
AbsentAbsentPresentPresentPresentPresentModerate

C57BL/6 scid

B6 scid
B6.Cg-Prkdcscid/SzJ
Model Benefits
  • Allows engraftment of allogeneic, xenogeneic, and hematopoietic cancer cell lines similarly to BALB/c scid
  • Shares C57BL/6 background with thousands of other strains allowing for crossbreeding and data comparisons
  • Improved engraftment efficiency compared to nude models for some cell lines
Strain Considerations
  • Innate immunity remains intact
  • NK cell activity limits engraftment of some primary cells and tissues
AbsentAbsentPresentPresentPresentPresentModerate

NOD scid

NOD scid
NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid/J
Model Benefits
  • Higher take-rates for slow-growing cancer cell lines than BALB scid or nude xenograft models
  • Xenotransplantation of some solid human tumors
Strain Considerations
  • Develops thymic lymphomas by 8-9 months of age. ~36 weeks mean survival
AbsentAbsentDefectiveDefectiveDefectiveAbsentVery Low

NOD scid gamma

NSG™
NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ
Model Benefits
  • Engrafts the widest range of solid and hematological cancers, including ALL and AML
  • Most sensitive host for cancer stem cells when compared to NOD
  • Longer lifespan than NOD scid; supports long-term engraftment studies and capabilities; >89 weeks median
Strain Considerations
  • No thymic lymphomas, can be used for long & short-term experiments
  • Sensitive to irradiation
AbsentAbsentDefectiveDefectiveDefectiveAbsentVery Low

NOD Rag gamma

NRG
NOD.Cg-Rag1tm1Mom Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ
Model Benefits
  • Does not have scid-associated sensitivity to irradiation
  • Long-term multilineage hematopoietic stem cell repopulation similar to NSG™ mice
  • Engrafts human PBMC without irradiation similar to NSG™
  • Engrafts a wide range of solid and hematological cancers
Strain Considerations
  • No thymic lymphomas—can be used for long-term experiments
  • Requires higher dose of irradiation to obtain human HSC engraftment
AbsentAbsentDefectiveDefectiveAbsentAbsentVery Low

NOD scid gamma MHC Class I/II DKO

NSG-MHC I/II DKO
NOD.Cg-Prkdcscid H2-K1b-tm1Bpe H2-Ab1g7-em1Mvw H2-D1b-tm1Bpe Il2rgtm1Wjl/SzJ
Model Benefits
  • Most resistant to xeno-GvHD of all NSG variants
  • Extended human IgG half-life compared to B2m knockouts (010636)
Strain Considerations
  • Resistance to xeno-GvHD associated with reduced CD45+ cell expansion in vivo
  • Radiation sensitive
AbsentAbsentDefectiveDefectiveAbsentAbsentAbsent

Need Help Choosing an Immunodeficient Model?

Do you know the key considerations for researchers working with immunodeficient mice? Gain insights into selecting appropriate mouse models based on factors like immune system compromise and compatibility with specific research goals. Find valuable guidance on choosing the most suitable immunodeficient mouse model for diverse research applications and how to optimize experimental designs for improved outcomes.

Or, Learn More About Nude Mice In Our Blog:

Nude Mice - More than What Meets the Naked Eye

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