Animal house

Since its launching in 1982, the animal house is located in the 2^nd floor of the Favaloro University headquarters. Its objective is assisting the research projects (internal, external and joint) aimed at improving human health through novel surgical techniques, biomaterials testing, therapeutic approaches, etc. Its closeness to the University Hospital allows using services such as pharmacy, sterilization, air conditioning, purchases, safety and hygiene, etc. As regards the research projects, this proximity facilitates applying on the experimental animals methods like nuclear magnetic resonance, X-ray, computed tomography, echography, hemodynamics, nuclear scans, clinical chemistry, bacteriology, pathology, cryopreservation, etc. The most employed species are sheep, pig, calf, rabbit, rat, mouse and chicken, according to the specific projects. The animal house is accredited by ANMAT, NIH, RENSPA and SNB. These accreditations are important when applying to international grants to finance the investigations. All research projects must be approved by the Direction of Science and Technology of the Favaloro University and the Institutional Committee for Use and Care of Laboratory Animals (CICUAL). The animal house’s area is 320 m². It follows national and international regulations regarding macro and microenvironment (individual rooms and specific cages and racks for each species, automatic light, air and humidity control, appropriate specific feeding and water dispensers) and is staffed by two veterinarians and 3 technicians displaying 24 hours shifts.

Experimental surgery area

The experimental surgery area is composed of two rooms for sterile operations: one for large animals (calves, sheep and pigs) and one for laboratory rodents (rabbits, rats and mice), and two zones for preparation of surgical instruments and specific transducers, paperwork and storing. It is equipped with artificial ventilators, anesthesia racks, infusion pumps, electrocardiographic, hemodynamic and oxymetric monitors, defibrillators, electroscalpels, macro- and microsurgical instruments, and central air and oxygen supply. Its staff is composed by two technicians and a surgical nurse. The area includes full equipment and instruments for experimental microsurgery and anesthesia in small rodents. Activities in the area include preparation of animal models for basic and translational research projects, and courses or training programs in novel surgical techniques for residents and fellows of the University Hospital.

Pathology lab

The Pathology area occupies 120 m² and includes the following laboratories: 1) electronic microscopy lab, equipped with a Zeiss 250 electronic microscope, a Leica ultramicrotome and LKB blade maker; 2) light microscopy lab equipped with 2 three-ocular Zeiss-Axiophot microscopes and low resolution digital cameras, one with Nomarski optics and phase contrast, a Zeiss camera with light system and filter for fluorescence microscopy, a n Image ProPlus 4.1 automatic digital processor, 2 automatic rotary Leica microtomes, one automatic Leica cryostat, and 2 60°C inclusion incubators; 3) cell culture lab equipped with a laminar flow cabinet, one CO₂ incubator, an inversion microscope, a refrigerated centrifuge and a conventional centrifuge; 4) necropsy lab for large mammals.

Cellular and molecular biology laboratory

The cell biology lab is equipped with two 2A biosafety cabinets (Telstar), two CO2 incubators for cell culture (ESCO), a Nikon inverted microscope, refrigerated centrifuge (Eppendorf 5810R), liquid nitrogen tank (CBS) a 4-channel BD CALIBUR flow cytometer, regfigerators, ultrafrezzers and thermostatic baths with agitator.

The molecular biology lab is compartmentalized in an area for nucleic acids extraction, a pre-PCR area with UV beam protection, refrigerator and freezer for master mix preparation and kits storage, and a hot PCR area with Real Time PCR thermocycler (Step One APPLIED BIOSYSTEMS) thermocyclers with Veriti and MultiGene gradient (APPLIED BioSYSTEMS and LABNET, respectively), BioRad horizontal and vertical electrophoresis systems, gels visualizer with portable UV, and gels photograph system with fluorescence and chemoluminiscence detection (G:BOX SYNGENE). All areas are under positive pressure and nocturnal programmable system of UV irradiation. Available for biochemistry studies are a BECKMAN L70 ultracentrifuge, an EPPENDORF bench microcentrifuge, a BECKMAN refrigerated microcentrifuge, an LKB Farmacia fractions collector, Northern, Southern and Western immunoblotting systems (BioRAd), in-situ hybridization, high resolution liquid chromatography (SHIMADZU) with three injector pumps for gradients preparation, programmable self-injector, heated column cabinet, UV-VS detector, spectrofluorometric detector, electrochemical detector, TEKMAR sonic disruptor, ULTRA-TURRAX T25 tissue disruptor, portable liquid nitrogen thermos, thermostatic incubator for culture, orbital agitators, VERSAMAX microplate reader, TITERTEK M96 automatic microplate washer, fluorescence reader for multiplex reactions (LUMINEX), standing refrigerated centrifuge (LUGUIMAC LC55R), SHIMADZU analytic balances, visible UV spectrophotometers (SHIMADZU), vortexs, automatic pipettes kits, -20°C and -80°C freezers and full informatics equipment and support.

Electrophysiology lab

The Basic Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab has a Patch Clamp technology area equipped with 2 Axon Inst Axopatch amplifiers, 2 remote control-motorized micromanipulators, an Axon A/D acquisition system, a video camera, an Olympus inverted microscope, an anti-vibration table, Narishigue puller and micro forge for micro-pipettes, two micro-perfusion pumps and a personal computer. The microelectrode set up includes a pedestal stereoscopic magnifying glass, a camera for live tissues, 2 manual micromanipulators, 2 stereotaxic manipulators, one thermostat, 2 infusion pumps, one WPI micropipette amplifier, 6 Gould universal amplifiers, one National A/D acquisition system, one 6-channels Bloom programmable stimulator, 2 Bloom isolating units for stimulation, persistence analogical oscilloscope and personal computers. The isolated heart set up includes a double perfusion camera, 2 peristaltic pumps, 2 thermostats, one 40-channels acquisition system, one portable programmable stimulator, 2 universal amplifiers, one table amplifier glass and one personal computer. For recordings in conscious animals and patients, a digital 12 channel electrocardiograph and 3 digital three-channel Holter devices are available.