Facial Vein Venipuncture for Murine Blood Collection

This paper presents an optimized protocol for murine blood collection via facial vein venipuncture using a lancet, offering a rapid, minimally invasive, and cost-effective alternative to other common techniques such as tail vein and retro-orbital sampling. This technique is particularly advantageous for studies requiring repeated sampling, such as mouse phenotyping, serum cytokine analysis, and diabetes research. The protocol is efficient, requires minimal specialized equipment, and is well-suited for high-throughput cellular analysis in mice. Our primary application is the phenotyping of transgenic, congenic, and reporter mice using flow cytometry, demonstrated here with antibody staining and tdTomato reporter mice. The paper outlines the complete procedure, from animal preparation to sample analysis. Key steps include blood collection with a 3 mm lancet, cell lysis, staining, and flow cytometric profiling. Facial vein venipuncture enhances collection efficiency while supporting ethical research practices. This practical and adaptable method is suitable for a wide range of experimental protocols involving murine blood sampling and cellular analysis.