Metabolic Phenotyping
The Metabolic Phenotyping Core provides contemporary phenotyping techniques for metabolism and energy balance in mouse models of nutrition and disease.
The Metabolic Phenotyping Core offers technical support and expertise for measuring traits related to metabolism in mouse models of obesity and nutritionally relevant disease. With locations at both the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and the UNC Nutrition Research Institute in Kannapolis, NC, the Core provides access to state-of-the-art methods, equipment, and populations to support high quality and high throughput phenotyping of energy balance components in mice.
Services
Calorimetry with Activity
The calorimetry instrumentation (TSE systems) is used to evaluate and interpret energy expenditure in mice. The system measures O2 consumption & CO2 production, respiratory exchange rate, and energy expenditure in the home cage environment. The indirect calorimetry can also evaluate and interpret energy expenditure in 3-D (X, Y and Z dimension) via light beams for up to 10-days using intervals between 1 to 60 minutes in the home cage environment.
Calorimetry with Voluntary Running Wheel
The calorimetry instrumentation (TSE systems) is used to evaluate and interpret energy expenditure in mice. The system measures O2 consumption & CO2 production, respiratory exchange rate, and energy expenditure in the home cage environment. Using a voluntary running wheel within the same cage, wheel activity is measured by daily summary measurements including total daily revolutions, time spent running (i.e., cumulative 1-minute intervals in which at least one revolution was recorded), average speed (total revolutions / time spent running) and maximum speed (highest number of revolutions in any one-minute interval within a 24 hour period) are recorded.
Metabolic Cages for Collection of Urine and Feces
This custom system combines 15 metabolic cages (Hatteras Instruments) and a cooling unit. The cooling unit keeps the urine samples at or below 45F during the collection. Different from traditional non-chilled metabolic cages, this system will prevent bacterial multiplication, improve sample quality and increase the sample shelf life. Useful for studies on the effects of drug therapies, urinary protein excretion, renal function studies, evaluation of standard or intervened metabolic function, and daily food and water intake. Suggested collection period, 6-24 hours.
MRI
MRI scanner technology is used is evaluate whole body composition (including fat, lean tissue and water) in live mice without anesthesia.
Constant Climate Chamber
For behavioral, metabolic, or physiological experiments that require thermo-neutral conditions, the Constant Climate Chamber (Memmert HPP 750) provides full control over temperature, humidity and lighting conditions. The chambers have a temperature range (with light) from 0°C up to +40°C, and they can hold up to 16 cages at a time and up to 5 mice per cage.
Animal Care, Handling, Sample Processing, and Oversight
- Mouse breeding, colony management, sample handling, restrain and care, and other laboratory techniques/services as defined by the animal protocol set forth by the project. These services will be performed by trained core staff using approved techniques.
- Experience and expertise in the use of genetically diverse mice, such as the Diversity Outbred and Collaborative Cross mice.
Study Design and Data Interpretation
Expertise provided on study design, data interpretation, quality control, and analysis methods
Metabolic Phenotyping Staff
