C57BL/6J is the most widely used inbred strain and the first to have its genome sequenced.

C57BL/6J was the DNA source for the international collaboration that generated the first high quality draft sequence of the mouse genome.

They are commonly used in the production of transgenic mice.

Primitive hematopoietic stem cells from C57BL/6J mice show greatly delayed senescence relative to BALB/c and DBA/2J. This is a dominant trait.

They breed well, are long-lived, and have a low susceptibility to tumours.

It is commonly used as a general-purpose strain and background strain for the generation of congenics carrying both spontaneous and induced mutations.

Although this strain is refractory to many tumours, it is a permissive background for maximal expression of most mutations.

C57BL/6J mice are used in a wide variety of research areas including cardiovascular biology, developmental biology, diabetes and obesity, genetics, immunology, neurobiology, and sensorineural research.

This mice strain is resistant to audiogenic seizures, have a relatively low bone density, and develop age related hearing loss. They are also susceptible to diet-induced obesity, type 2 diabetes, and atherosclerosis.

Macrophages from this strain are resistant to the effects of anthrax lethal toxin.