Void spot assay: recommendations on the use of a simple micturition assay for mice

American Journal of Physiology. Renal Physiology
Warren G HillChad M Vezina

Abstract

Investigators have for decades used mouse voiding patterns as end points for studying behavioral biology. It is only recently that mouse voiding patterns were adopted for study of lower urinary tract physiology. The spontaneous void spot assay (VSA), a popular micturition assessment tool, involves placing a mouse in an enclosure lined by filter paper and quantifying the resulting urine spot pattern. The VSA has advantages of being inexpensive and noninvasive, but some investigators challenge its ability to distinguish lower urinary tract function from behavioral voiding. A consensus group of investigators who regularly use the VSA was established by the National Institutes of Health in 2015 to address the strengths and weaknesses of the assay, determine whether it can be standardized across laboratories, and determine whether it can be used as a surrogate for evaluating urinary function. Here we leverage experience from the consensus group to review the history of the VSA and its uses, summarize experiments to optimize assay design for urinary physiology assessment, and make best practice recommendations for performing the assay and analyzing its results.

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Citations

Oct 12, 2018·American Journal of Physiology. Renal Physiology·Bisiayo E Fashemi, Indira U Mysorekar
Aug 8, 2019·American Journal of Physiology. Renal Physiology·Hannah RuettenChad M Vezina
Jun 20, 2019·American Journal of Physiology. Renal Physiology·Serkan KarakusArthur L Burnett
May 18, 2020·Pediatric Nephrology : Journal of the International Pediatric Nephrology Association·Youko Ikeda
Nov 5, 2019·American Journal of Physiology. Renal Physiology·Alexandra K KimWarren G Hill
Dec 10, 2019·Journal of Neuroscience Methods·Anne M VerstegenJoel C Geerling
Jan 16, 2020·European Urology Focus·Andrea M SartoriMartin E Schwab
Mar 23, 2021·FASEB Journal : Official Publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology·Joel CastroStuart M Brierley
Jun 15, 2021·American Journal of Physiology. Renal Physiology·Lisa L AblerChad M Vezina
Jul 28, 2021·Biomedicine & Pharmacotherapy = Biomédecine & Pharmacothérapie·Hung-Jen ShihChun-Jen Huang
Aug 3, 2021·Physiological Reports·Hannah M RuettenChad M Vezina

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
urine spot
environmental stress

Software Mentioned

ImageJ
Fiji

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