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C57BL/6J mice

Jiangsu Aniphe BioLab, leveraging a high‑standard laboratory animal platform, offers a stable, long‑term supply of C57BL/6J mice in stock. As the “gold standard” strain widely used in biopharmaceutical research and genetic engineering, our C57BL/6J colony boasts a well‑defined, pure genetic background and highly consistent physiological parameters. Supported by ample inventory and an ultra‑rapid response system, we can provide large batches of high‑quality animals from the same cohort and across multiple age groups, ensuring high reproducibility and rigor in scientific research and new‑drug development.

Strain Introduction

In C57BL, “BL” is an abbreviation of the English word “Black,” indicating that this strain of mice has black fur. The C57BL lineage comprises numerous sublines, such as C57L, C57BL/6, and C57BL/10. Among them, C57BL/6 is the most widely used, with a well-characterized genome sequence. Within the C57BL/6 subline, there are many distinct genotypes, which are designated by appending a letter after the number 6. For example, C57BL/6J—where “J” denotes a C57BL/6 mouse sourced from the Jackson Laboratory (sometimes written as C57BL6J).

Product Advantages

It reproduces well, has a long lifespan, and exhibits low susceptibility to tumors.

① A high susceptibility to diet-induced obesity, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerosis;
② A high incidence of microphthalmia and other related ocular abnormalities;

③ Resistance to audiogenic seizures;
④Low bone density;

⑤ Hereditary hydrocephalus (early reports indicate 1–4%);
⑥ Portal venous shunting (approximately 5%);

⑦ Hair loss caused by excessive grooming;
⑧ A preference for alcohol and morphine;

⑨ Age-related hearing loss;
⑩ The incidence of hydrocephalus and malocclusion has increased.

 

Data parameters

Strain Name C57BL/6J (also known as B6J, a standard strain from The Jackson Laboratory)
Targeted gene No specific target gene (wild-type inbred strain)
Mutation site No artificially introduced mutation sites (subline-specific spontaneous mutations: Nnt gene deletion, Crb1rd8, etc.)
Types of gene editing Not applicable (classical inbred strain, non‑gene‑edited)
Genetic background C57BL/6 inbred strain (F>200), H-2b haplotype
Microbial Grade SPF grade
Available by week of age 3–8 weeks (please consult your regional sales representative if you need to order neonatal rats)

Application areas

● Diet-induced atherosclerosis in cardiovascular research;

● Hyperglycemia, hyperinsulinemia, and other factors in diabetes and obesity research;

● Ocular and auditory deficits in sensory neurobiology research;

● Hematological research on hematopoietic defects, immunity, inflammation, and autoimmunity, among others;

● Production of mutant, transgenic, and knockout mice, among other applications in genetic research

Breeding Techniques and Precautions

Strictly control inbreeding systems to mitigate genetic divergence.

Strictly control the inbreeding system.
Avoiding genetic differences

Standard inbred breeding is employed to eliminate random mating and thereby prevent genetic drift; experimental protocols must use a defined mouse strain, with strict prohibition of mixing different strains, to ensure a uniform and stable genetic background.

 

Strictly control environmental stimuli to reduce experimental stress.

Strictly control environmental stimuli.
Reduce experimental stress

This strain is sensitive to noise and odors and prone to stress. The housing environment should be free of high-frequency noise and ultrasonic devices; experimental procedures should be conducted gently, and fragranced disinfectants should be avoided to minimize stress‑inducing disturbances.

 

Standardize breeding management to improve the survival rate of pups.

Standardize breeding management
Improve the survival rate of neonatal rats

Select female mice aged 7–9 weeks with a body weight of ≥18 g for mating, and separate them into individual cages upon the appearance of a vaginal plug. During lactation, supplement their diet with high‑protein feed and soft nesting material to maintain breeding efficiency and improve pup survival.

 

Monitor age-related spontaneous lesions and eliminate experimental confounding.

Monitoring age-related spontaneous lesions
Eliminate experimental interference   

Aged mice are prone to spontaneous tumors and organ lesions. Regular health screenings are required for aged animals, and retired breeding stock may be included in the study only after passing a thorough evaluation to ensure that background pathologies do not confound the experimental results.

Literature support

Research papers published by Aniphe customers using this model are eligible for SCI-indexed publication. (Original paper link)

1. Eur J Pharmacol. 2023 Oct 15;957:176027.
2. Gynecol Endocrinol.  2023 Aug 17;39(1):2250003.
3. Transl Psychiatry. 2023 Dec 16;13(1):396.

Frequently Asked Questions

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Q1: What is the difference between C57BL/6J and C57BL/6N? Which one should I choose?

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A: Both belong to the C57BL/6 lineage, but key differences include:

Nnt gene: The C57BL/6J strain naturally carries a deletion mutation in Nnt (nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase), resulting in impaired mitochondrial NADPH regeneration and a blunted insulin secretory response to glucose. When conducting metabolic phenotyping studies—particularly those examining β-cell function or glucose homeostasis—it is essential to account for strain-specific effects; in contrast, the C57BL/6N strain harbors a full-length Nnt gene.

Crb1 mutation: B6J mice commonly carry the Crb1rd8 retinal degeneration mutation, which can lead to retinal pathology and affect vision‑related behavioral assays and ocular toxicity studies; B6N mice typically do not carry this mutation.

Behavior and drug responses: B6J mice exhibit slightly elevated anxiety levels, and their response to certain psychotropic drugs may differ from that of B6N mice. If the experiment is conducted on a background commonly used in international knockout mouse repositories—typically B6J—it is advisable to use B6J. Conversely, when generating transgenic models or integrating data with the International Mouse Phenotyping Consortium (IMPReSS), B6N is more frequently employed.

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Q2: Can C57BL/6J mice be used for PDX or xenograft models?

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A: It is not possible to directly use wild-type C57BL/6J mice for PDX or human‑cell xenografts, as their intact immune system will reject human‑derived tissues. When necessary, immunodeficient strains on a C57BL/6 background should be selected, such as NOD/SCID (B6 background) or NSG (NOD.Cg‑Prkdc).

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