Autism Spectrum Disorder Model
Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a common neurodevelopmental disorder, and its incidence is increasing year by year. Exploring the etiology and pathogenesis of the disease from animal models plays an important role in the research of the disease.
Our company is committed to providing scientifically valid behavioral tests for the assessment of autism spectrum disorders models to help clients worldwide make breakthroughs in the pathology and potential therapies for autism spectrum disorders.
Introduction of Autism Spectrum Disorder
Autism spectrum disorder is one of the most serious diseases causing psychiatric disability in children, mostly occurring in early development. The disease is typically characterized by varying degrees of social communication and interaction deficits, repetitive stereotyped behavior patterns, and sensory and perceptual abnormalities. Autism spectrum disorder is usually a chronic, lifelong course that severely impairs an individual's social functioning. It is commonly believed that genetic and environmental factors act alone or in combination to cause autism spectrum disorders. However, multiple models have been generated to study the mechanisms of the disease because the underlying pathological mechanisms are not well understood and the lack of sufficiently effective treatments.
Fig. 1 General overview of the potential route of the underlying mechanisms of ASD. (Holt, 2011)
The One-stop Services for Autism Spectrum Disorder Model We Provide
As the genetic mechanisms of psychiatric diseases have been extensively studied, genetic animal models of psychiatric disorders have received increasing attention and high expectations. Despite the difficulty of simulating human psychiatric disorders in animals, a series of animal models of depression, schizophrenia and other related disorders have been successfully developed. These models provide good insights in the study of the etiopathology as well as the therapeutic mechanisms of psychiatric disorders.
- Model animal selection: rats or mice.
- Provide a variety of mold making methods.
Our company provides genetic models for the research of autism spectrum disorders as well as multiple animal models for environmental triggers.
- Genetic models
A series of susceptibility and cure loci for ASD have been identified by different gene sequencing techniques. A large number of ASD models can be obtained by building on gene mutations.
| Genetic Models | Description |
|---|---|
| SHANK3 model | Mutations in the SHANK gene have been detected in some patients with autism spectrum disorders. SHANK-deficient mice exhibit decreased NMDA receptor function, which impairs their neurodevelopment and affects synaptic plasticity, leading to impaired learning memory. Mice with different exon deletions can suffer from different degrees of functional deficits, such as self-injury, repetitive grooming and social deficits. |
| FRM1 model | FMRP is a member of FXRP. Children with FXRP syndrome suffer from cognitive impairment, specific facial features, hyperactivity and anxiety. FMR1-deficient mice were tested for cognition, socialization, learning ability and voluntary movement and were found to have similar behavioral manifestations as human ASD patients. |
| NLGN3 model | NLGN encodes a protein that regulates hippocampal neuron formation and glutamatergic postsynaptic protein formation and is associated with ASD. the NLGN3 mutant mouse model has deficits in sensory behavior and sensory processing, and the behavioral deficits are strikingly consistent with the characteristics of ASD patients. |
- Environmental models
Environmental factors play an important role in etiology, and the main animal models related to environmental cure factors are concentrated as follows.
| Environmental Models | Description |
|---|---|
| VPN animal models | VPA application during maternal pregnancy triggers ASD in children with clinical manifestations such as mental retardation, behavioral problems, attention deficit and hyperactivity. |
| PPA animal model | Behavioral experiments revealed that ventricular injection of PPA in mice resulted in anatomical and behavioral abnormalities. mice with PPA showed learning memory deficits, stereotyped repetitive behaviors, and sensorimotor abnormalities similar to human ASD. |
| BPA animal model | As an endocrine infectious agent, fetal exposure to BPA leads to abnormal neurodevelopment and behavioral changes in children. |
- We select reasonable behavioral testing methods for our clients to assess the reliability of the model.
Deviations in animal models of autism spectrum disorders are usually detected by behavioral testing methods. Our company offers our clients a variety of behavioral evaluation methods specifically for use in ASD models.
| Detected Behavior | Behavioral Methods |
|---|---|
| Stereotyped behavior testing | Biting cage or wood chips, raising front paws to the mouth or face, licking, grooming, shaking paws, standing on hind legs or stage vocalization. |
| Social behavior testing | Three-chamber sociability test. |
| Anxiety behavior testing | Open filed test, elevated plus maze test, light and dark shuttle box test, marble-burying test. |
| Depressive behavior testing | Tail suspension test, forced swimming test, sucrose preference test. |
| Learning and memory testing | Object recognition test. |
Why Choose Us
- Extensive expertise.
- Experienced professional team.
- Reliable quality guarantee.
Our company is committed to combining our specialized experimental platform and extensive scientific knowledge to jointly provide effective research models for the development of the field of neuroscience. If you are interested, please contact us and describe your specific research, and we will be happy to assist you.
Reference
- Holt, R.; et al. Links between genetics and pathophysiology in the autism spectrum disorders. EMBO molecular medicine. 2011, 3(8): 438-450.