Crossbred

A crossbred laboratory mouse is a Mus musculus animal produced by mating mice from different strains, stocks, or genetic backgrounds. Crossbred mice may be albino, black, or another color depending on the parents, and their traits are less uniform than those of an inbred strain. In research settings, crossbreeding may be intentional for mapping, vigor, colony maintenance, or combining specific genetic changes.

The practical value of a crossbred mouse depends on knowing the cross. Parent strains, generation, genotype, sex, and health status should be recorded before animals are used for breeding or study. Crossbred animals can be useful, but they are not interchangeable with defined inbred strains. Care follows standard mouse husbandry, while management focuses on preventing mix-ups and making the ancestry plain to anyone receiving the animals.

Colors: Albino, Black