• Foxn1^nu mutation backcrossed to the BALB/cAnN inbred strain for nine generations
• The deficiency in T cell function allows athymic mice to accept and grow xenografts as well as allografts of normal and malignant tissues. Tissues from the BALB/c Nude can be transplanted onto normal BALB/c mice.
• The autosomal recessive nude gene in homozygous (sp/sp) mice causes the lack of fur and an abnormal thymus. The deficiency in T cell function allows athymic mice to accept and grow xenografts as well as allografts of normal and malignant tissues.
• Heterozygous (sp/wt) mice carry only one copy of the nude mutation and have hair. Heterozygous nudes were originally thought to have normal immune systems, but in fact have immune alterations such as reduced bone marrow stem cells and lower thymus weights. Heterozygous nudes may thus not be appropriate for use as sentinels. They may be used in PK/dosing studies.

Origin: Taconic received the BALB/c Nude Spontaneous Mutant model from the NIH Animal Genetic Resource in 1980. The mice were backcrossed eighteen generations. The mice are maintained by incrossing non-brother x sister mice.

Genetics: Refer to the BALB/c (background strain) for inbred genetic data

Coat Color Loci: Tyr^c, Tyrp1^b

Color: Albino

Species: Mouse

Animal Diet: NIH #31M Rodent Diet

* As Taconic Bioscience has discontinued commercial sales of live BALB/c Nude, InVivos is introducing Jackson Laboratories Athymic Nude (NU/JInv) into our catalogue which has similar strain features.