Figure 1.

Tail tip amputation phlebotomy technique. Mice were removed from their home cage by grasping the base of the tail and immediately placed on top of their wire-bar food hopper. (A) The tail was positioned so that the tip rested over a flat surface (for example, a water bottle cap), and the distal 1 to 2 mm was amputated using a scalpel blade. (B) The mouse was allowed freedom of movement with minimal tail restraint while the desired volume of blood was collected by gently ‘milking’ the tail.