The Metabolic Phenotyping Core provides investigators with specialized and non-invasive metabolic assays to phenotype cells, tissue, and animal models related to diabetes, obesity, other metabolic disorders and their complications.

The central services of the core include: 

• Determining whole animal energy expenditure using Promethion metabolic cages (Sable Systems International). This is a non-invasive measurement of food intake, water intake, energy expenditure, respiratory exchange ratio, body weight, and physical activity.
• Measurement of food intake, water intake, fecal and urine output with Techniplast metabolic cages
• Core body temperature measurement
• Thermoneutral housing using Solace Zone Heated IVC 32-cage system and temperature controlled housing (6-40°C) using a Powers Scientific rodent incubator
• Measuring whole body composition with a Bruker MiniSpec for mice
• Hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamp experiments to assess in vivo insulin action, insulin signaling, and glucose metabolism in awake mice.
• Hyperglycemic clamp experiments to assess in vivo pancreatic beta-cell function (i.e., glucose-induced insulin secretion) and the effect of hyperglycemia on glucose metabolism (i.e., glucose toxicity).
• Mitochondrial bioenergetics: tissue/cellular/isolated mitochondria oxygen consumption using the XFe-24 Extracellular Flux Analyzer; mitochondrial respirometry for tissue (permeabilized mouse heart and soleus) and isolated mitochondria with the O2K from OROBOROS.
• Glucose and insulin tolerance tests.

Consultation with MPC Staff is required before using any service for the 1st time.

Please allow 1-2 months’ notice to allow sufficient time to amend ACURF protocols and plan your experiments appropriately. Contact MPC Staff for the appropriate ACURF documents and applications.