Inbred & outbred rat strains at genOway

Outbred Rat Strains

Wistar

The Wistar rat genetic background was created at the Wistar Institute (USA) by Henry Donaldson, in 1906. The Wistar strain is an outbred strain mainly used for biomedical applications in pharmacology, toxicology, physiology, oncology, aging, metabolism and infectious diseases. The Wistar strain is also the genetic base of several other rat backgrounds such as Sprague Dawley, Long Evans and Lewis, among others.

Sprague Dawley

The Sprague Dawley rat genetic background, one of the best known and widely used rat strain, was created by R.W. Dawley, around 1925, crossing the Wistar rat with a rat of unknown origin. This strain spontaneously develops endocrine tumors when aging and is well adapted for biomedical application such as pharmacology, toxicology, physiology, oncology, aging, metabolism, neurology, surgery and general studies.

Long Evans

The Long Evans rat genetic background was created in 1915 by the two doctors Long and Evans from Wistar rats and a wild-type rat (Rattus Norvegicus). This rat strain is not indicated for oncology studies as it is quite resistant to tumorigenesis. Long Evans rats are mainly used for behavioral studies and learning but also for biomedical applications such as addiction, aging, metabolism and nutrition.

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Inbred Rat Strains

Lewis

The Lewis rat genetic background was created by Dr. Margaret Lewis in the 1950s, from Wistar rats. This inbred rat strain is prone to tumorigenesis, thus reducing its life expectancy. Lewis rats are quite sensitive to induction of autoimmune diseases, induced arthritis and inflammation, spontaneous glomerular sclerosis as well as transplantable lymphatic leukemia. Lewis rats are mainly used for organ transplantation, immunobiology, pharmacology, toxicology, experimental diseases and STZ-induced diabetes.

Fischer 344

The Fischer 344 rat genetic background was created by Curtis and Dunning, in 1920. This rat strain is particularly suitable as an animal model of choice for studies in ageing. F344 rats are also used for biomedical applications in nutrition, oncology, toxicology and ophthalmology.

Brown Norway

The Brown Norway genetic background is an inbred rat strain created in 1958 by R.E. Billingham and W.K. Silvers. This rat strain is mainly used for biomedical applications such as transplantation, immunology dysfunction, genetic mapping, respiratory inflammation and aging.