Lactation protocols.
Despite its importance, much remains unknown about the biology of lactation. Progress in this field relies heavily upon focused, hypothesis-driven studies that are the product of established and highly-skilled mammary research groups located around the world. It also relies, however, on the rapid and effective communication of serendipitous discoveries from scientists of diverse disciplines. The latter is often encumbered—not by an aversion to sharing these novel findings—but by an inability to properly describe them.
Whilst techniques to characterize lactation defects in rodent models are not overly complex, they often remain a form of tacit knowledge, possessed only by a few specialist groups. It is with this in mind that we have prepared this manuscript. This technical review is intended to serve as a starting point—particularly for early-career scientists belonging to other fields of the biological sciences—for the investigation of potential lactation defects in transgenic mouse models. We hope that these protocols will assist, both with the characterization of the supposed defect as well as the elucidation of its developmental or functional origin. On completion, a biological resource will be obtained (replete with milk samples, wholemounts, histology, tissue blocks, RNA lysates and protein lysates) to facilitate further mechanistic investigations. In sum, if a lactation phenotype is suspected, this protocol will help the astute researcher to “milk it” for all that it’s worth!
Our bookshelf
We love doing science but we also like to think about what doing science means. Below are some recommended reads from our bookshelf:
Sister outsider. Audre Lorde
Everyday Practice of Science—Where Intuition and Passion Meet Objectivity and Logic. Frederick Grinnell.
Stop Fixing Women—Why Building Fairer Workplaces is Everybody’s Business. Catherine Fox.
All the Ways to be Smart. Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys.
Lab Girl—A Story of Trees, Science and Love. Hope Jaren
Inferior—How Science Got Women Wrong and the New Research That’s Rewriting the Story. Angela Saini