Coat Consistency

The basic mouse coat is a beautiful shiny coat of fur that is sleek and soft when the mouse is healthy and in good health. Sometimes, however, there are genes that make the coat have a slightly different appearance or consistency. These are detailed below.

Curls

Symbol

Photo

Description

Ca

Chr. 15

Caracul. Homozygotes are indistinguishable from Heterozygotes. Hair is wavy from the time it first grows in until about 4 weeks of age. After 4 weeks of age the curves are greatly reduced but the hair retains a plush-like look.

cpy

Chr. 15

Crimpy: Homozygotes have a wavy, plushy-appearing coat and curly vibrissae.

fr

Chr. 7

Frizzy. Mice with this allele have short thin frizzy hair. They have wavy or curvy whiskers.

fz

Chr. 1

Fuzzy. Hair is thin and wavy or curly. Wavy or curly whiskers

Re

Chr. 11

Rex – Curly Hair. Homozygotes have a stronger expression of curly hair than heterozygotes. Both have curly whiskers and wavy coats. The waviness of coats disappears in adults but the whiskers and guard hairs remain curly.

Soft Coat

Symbol

Photo

Description

Gs

Chr. X

Greasy: Homozygous females, and Hemizygous males have shiny soft coats.

sa

Foxq1^sa

Chr. 13

Satin: Produces a soft, shiny coat with a very high sheen. Homozygotes have depressed T-cell and killer cell activity, therefore satin mice are often slightly more “sickly”.

sal

Chr. Un.

Satin Like: Fur appearance is similar to satin, greasy, and velvet mice.

Ve

Chr. 15

Velvet: Heterozygotes closely resemble sa/sa mice. Homozygotes die in utero.

Long Hair

Symbol

Photo

Description

go

Fgf5^go

Chr. 5

Angora: Homozygotes are recognizable at about 18 days old by the extra length of the guard hairs. At weaning the guard hairs are more than twice normal length. Whiskers are also long

lgh

Chr. 8

Long Hair.  Homozygotes can not be identified until the first hair molt at 5 weeks of age. In adults zig zag hairs are missing from the underfur of the body, leaving predominantly guard hairs, while the coat on the head, feet, and tail are normal in appearance. Homozygotes of both sexes are viable and fertile. Skin lesions often appear in homozygotes.

No Hair

Symbol

Photo

Description

hr

Chr. 14

Hairless: Homozygous mice develop a normal coat up to the age of about 10 days, but then lose all hair. The complete hair is lost from the follicle, not merely broken off. Waves of hair growth producing a few thin fuzzy hairs occur at intervals of about a month for some time thereafter, but the animals eventually appear continuously hairless. The whiskers are repeatedly regrown and shed, and become more abnormal with age. Toenails are excessively long and curved. Hairless mice are generally fertile, but most females do not nurse their young well.

hr^rh

Chr. 14

Rhino: Homozygotes are similar to hairless mice except that no hair regeneration occurs and the skin becomes thickened and enormously wrinkled. Rhino females do not nurse their young well