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A review of standardized metabolic phenotyping of animal models

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Abstract

Metabolic phenotyping of genetically modified animals aims to detect new candidate genes and related metabolic pathways that result in dysfunctional energy balance regulation and predispose for diseases such as obesity or type 2 diabetes mellitus. In this review, we provide a comprehensive overview on the technologies available to monitor energy flux (food uptake, bomb calorimetry of feces and food, and indirect calorimetry) and body composition (qNMR, DXA, and MRI) in animal models for human diseases with a special focus on phenotyping methods established in genetically engineered mice. We use an energy flux model to illustrate the principles of energy allocation, describe methodological aspects how to monitor energy balance, and introduce strategies for data analysis and presentation.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Ann-Elisabeth Schwarz, Brigitte Herrmann, Nicole Ehrhardt, Monja Willershäuser, and Martin Kistler for their support in setting up the energy metabolism screen in the GMC. This work was funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research to the German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.) and to the GMC (Infrafrontier Grant No. 01KX1012).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. German Mouse Clinic, Institute of Experimental Genetics, Helmholtz Zentrum München - German Research Center for Environmental Health (GmbH), Ingolstädter Landstr. 1, 85764, Neuherberg, Germany

    Jan Rozman & Martin Hrabě de Angelis

  2. Chair for Molecular Nutritional Medicine, Technische Universität München, Else Kröner-Fresenius Center for Nutritional Medicine, 85350, Freising, Germany

    Martin Klingenspor

  3. ZIEL - Center for Nutrition and Food Sciences, Technische Universität München, 85350, Freising, Germany

    Martin Klingenspor

  4. Chair for Experimental Genetics, Life and Food Science Center Weihenstephan, Technische Universität Munich, 85354, Freising-Weihenstephan, Germany

    Martin Hrabě de Angelis

  5. German Center for Diabetes Research (DZD e.V.), 85764, Neuherberg, Germany

    Jan Rozman & Martin Hrabě de Angelis

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  1. Jan Rozman
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  2. Martin Klingenspor
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Correspondence to Jan Rozman.

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Rozman, J., Klingenspor, M. & Hrabě de Angelis, M. A review of standardized metabolic phenotyping of animal models. Mamm Genome 25, 497–507 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00335-014-9532-0

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