Axenic mice

Axenic mice are laboratory mice that are raised in completely sterile environments, meaning they have no living microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, or viruses in or on their bodies. They are used in scientific research to study how microorganisms affect health, disease, and immune responses, since their lack of microbes provides a controlled baseline. Maintaining axenic mice requires special sterile facilities, and they are carefully monitored to prevent contamination. This allows researchers to better understand the role of microbes by comparing axenic mice to normal mice with typical microbial communities.