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Use of a - or Hard ß-Emitting Radioisotope to Assess Milk Intake in Suckling Mouse Pups

Department of Biological Sciences, University of Aston in Birmingham, Birmingham B4 7ET, U.K.

A radioisotopic method to assess milk intake during suckling in mice is described. The method is based on the transfer of a - or hard ß-emitting radioisotope from the lactating mother to the litter. The radioactivity of individual pups is determined at intervals by whole-body counting. The transfer of ²²Na, ³²P as orthophosphate, ⁵¹Cr as chromate, and ¹²⁵I as iodide was examined; ¹²⁵I showed particularly suitable characteristics. The procedure proved to be simple, accurate and reproducible for the comparison of milk consumption between pups within a litter and between litters. The procedure was suitable for studies using a foster mother.

KEY WORDS: • suckling mice • milk intake • radioisotope transfer

Manuscript received 21 September 1982.