Development of a cost-effective loading machine for biomechanical evaluation of mouse transgenic models.

Recent advances in molecular biology have enabled the widespread use of transgenic mouse models. Whether these transgenics present with a skeletal phenotype is often of interest, particularly to orthopedic researchers. Unfortunately, the expense of commercial mechanical testing systems often impedes their routine use in biology laboratories. In this article, the development of a small-scale, relatively inexpensive loading machine, that is ideal for the biomechanical bend testing of mouse long bones, is detailed and the system in transgenic mouse tibiae testing is utilized.