ABSTRACT
The clawed frogs of the Xenopus genus have a long history of use as a model in biomedical research, are a powerful system for study of complex question, and require relatively simple life support for maintenance in laboratory conditions. Historically, only wild type Xenopus frogs were used by most researchers and these were easily procured from commercial vendors. Development of new technologies has allowed for the creation of transgenic and mutant Xenopus lines, necessitating the creation of a national stock center to house and distribute these valuable lines. The National Xenopus Resource (NXR) was created in 2010 to help Xenopus researchers deal with this challenge by serving as a centralized repository maintaining a large number of diverse animal lines available for immediate distribution to the research community. It also serves as an educational facility holding advanced training workshops, and as a center where individual researchers can convene and collaborate on complex projects through the use of NXR animals and expertise. Here, we briefly discuss the history of Xenopus use in research and the considerable impact it has had in science. We then describe the aspects of NXR operations necessary for the fulfillment of its role as an animal repository and distribution center, educational facility, and a convening center.
