The Metabolic Phenotyping Core provides investigators specialized and non-invasive metabolic assays that are essential in phenotyping mouse and other animal models with diabetes, its complications, obesity, and related metabolic disorders.

The principal functions of the Core are as follows: 

• Determination of whole animal energy expenditure using Metabolic Chambers: Promethion (Sable Systems International) and CLAMS (Comprehensive Lab Animal Monitoring System, Columbus Instruments). This is a non-invasive measurement of food intake, energy expenditure, respiratory exchange ratio and physical activity.
• Measurement of whole body composition with a Bruker MiniSpec in mice and rats.
• 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 b-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 XF-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.