A Comparative Rresearch Of Behavior Pattern Between Mandarin Voles (Microtus Mandarinus) And BALB/c Mice

Animal behaviour is formed in long-term evolution through natural selection, and has a species-specific feature. At present, BALB/c mice (inbred strain mice) have been widely used in various studies as an experimental animal model. A large number of experiments have proved that BALB/c mice have a lower sociality. Mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus) are a kind of monogamy of small rodents. They have gradually become a new animal model and have been used in the neurobiology research in recent years. It is not clear whether there are differences between behavior patterns of mandarin voles and traditional laboratory animals. Therefore, it is of great significance to set up an animal model of mandarin voles by studying the behavioral differences between mandarin voles and traditional laboratory animals.In order to achive blow purposes: 1. whether there existed differences between mandarin voles and BALB/c mice of experimental animals for social behavior, cognition and emotion, 2. the ecology adaptation to field environment of mandarin voles, 3. whether they are a kind of good experimental animal model of mandarin voles, Novel cage test, Open field test, Social interaction and Morris water maze test are conducted to mandarin voles F3 and BALB/c mice in laboratory environment. The results are as follows:1. Novel cage experiment. The results have indicated that the exploring frequency of both male and female mandarin voles are more than that of BALB/c mice's, which reaches a greatly significant difference only in male, P<0.01. About total duration, both male and female mandarin voles are less than BALB/c mice, which reaches a greatly significant difference, P<0.01. On locomotion frequency and total duration, either male or female mandarin voles are more than BALB/c mice, which reaches a greatly significant difference, P<0.01, which shows that compared with BALB/c mice, both male and female mandarin voles are more willing to exercise, are of better mood in new environment, are of good adaptability to a strange environment, and are initiative to learn.2. Open field experiment. The results indicated that male and female mandarin voles have less time than BALB/c mice at the time of stay at center, more time than BALB/c mice at the total crossing times and reach a very significant difference, P<0.01. Although male and female mandarin voles have rearing behavior, BALB/c mice have not during the experiment; there is no significant difference between male and female of mandarin voles and BALB/c mice. It shows that mandarin voles are better at exploring, more excited in the new environment than BALB/c mcie, are better at exploring and cognitive ability to the environment than BALB/c mice.3. Social interaction experiment. The experimental results indicated that in the same-sex social interaction, the total duration of both male and female mandarin voles are more than BALB/c mice in aggressive behaviors (aggression, pursuit, escape, boxing, stear each other, submitting) except pursuit behavior. In frequency, both male and female of mandarin voles are more than BALB/c mice except aggression behavior of female mandarin voles. In frequency and total duration, both male and female BALB/c mice are more than mandarin voles on pursuit behavior. In society explore behaviors (approaching, sniffing environment, sniffing mouth, sniffing body, sniffing genital), the frequency and total duration of both male and female mandarin voles are more than that of BALB/c mice's on approaching behavior. In opposite-sex social interaction, the frequency and total duration of both male and female mandarin voles are more than BALB/c mice among boxing, stare each other and submitting aggressive behaviors. In society explore behaviors, both male and female mandarin voles have more frequency and total duration than BALB/c mice on approaching and sniffing environment behaviors, have less frequency and total duration than BALB/c mice on sniffing mouth and sniffing body behaviors. The results indicated that mandarin voles in aggressivity are stronger than BALB/c mice both in the same-sex and opposite-sex social interaction, and better in exploring society than BALB/c mice, which shows that mandarin voles and BALB/c mice in the performance of social behavior have a lot of differences. BALB/c mice's society is lower.4. Morris water maze experiment. The results indicated that in spatial study process testing, the latency of mandarin voles are on the decline, male BALB/c mice in an upward trend, female BALB/c mice also on the decline, but longer than that of mandarin voles. Both male and female of mandarin voles and BALB/c mice on swimming distance are on the decline, which on mandarin voles are obvious and on BALB/c mice gentle. Both male and female of mandarin voles and BALB/c mice on swimming speed are on the decline, mandarin voles always quicker than BALB/c mice on the rate of swimming speed. In the near wall swimming time, mandarin voles have been on the decline in time, and BALB/c mice have an upward trend. In spatial memory testing, mandarin voles have better performance than BALB/c mice on the time of arriving platform and the times of crossing the platform. The results indicated that mandarin voles are better than BALB/c mice in spatial study process testing regardless of the spatial learning ability, learning initiative, mood, or spatial learning and memory effects of spatial memory testing, which shows that mandarin voles have stronger spatial learning, memory ability, and emotional stability in Morris water maze. Therefore, it is inferred that compared with BALB/c mice, mandarin voles are more suitable for the animal model, and they should be a good animal model.These results indicated that there is a significant difference between mandarin voles and BALB/c mice in performance of behavior. Mandarin voles possess better ability to adapt to the environment, have initiative, good feeling, strong ability of spatial learning and memory in an unfamiliar environment, which shows that mandarin voles can adapt to the complexity of the ecological environment in the wild environment, and mandarin voles can be used as good experimental animal model.