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Setting Ambient Temperature Conditions to Optimize Translation of Molecular Work from the Mouse to Human: The “Goldilocks Solution”

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Brown Adipose Tissue

Part of the book series: Methods in Molecular Biology ((MIMB,volume 2448))

Abstract

Temperature has a profound effect on many aspects of murine physiology. This raises the question of the best temperature at which mice should be housed to maximize the translational potential to humans. The temperatures at which mice have been routinely kept for studies of molecular physiology (20–21 °C) maximize the comfort of animal handling staff. There is a widespread movement suggesting we should perform experiments instead on mice housed at 30 °C. This often produces very different outcomes. Here we analyze the basis of this suggestion and show that while 20–21 °C is too cold, 30 °C is probably too hot. Rather we suggest an intermediate temperature “the Goldilocks solution” of 25–26 °C is probably optimal. This should be combined with providing animals with nesting material so that they can construct nests to generate microclimates that are within their own control. Providing copious nesting material has additional spin-off advantages in terms of increasing environmental enrichment. Ultimately, however, advocating a single temperature to mimic human physiology is plagued by the problem that humans vary widely in the temperature environments they experience, with consequences for human disease. Hence studying responses at a range of temperatures may provide the greatest insights and translational potential.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Shenzhen Key Laboratory for Metabolic Health, Center for Energy Metabolism and Reproduction, Shenzhen, Institutes of Advanced Technology, Shenzhen, China

    Min Li & John R. Speakman

  2. State Key Laboratory of Molecular Developmental Biology, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Min Li & John R. Speakman

  3. University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China

    Min Li & John R. Speakman

  4. School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Scotland, UK

    Min Li & John R. Speakman

Authors
  1. Min Li
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  2. John R. Speakman
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Correspondence to John R. Speakman .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Program in Molecular Medicine, UMass Chan Medical School, Worcester, MA, USA

    David A. Guertin

  2. ETH Zürich, Schwerzenbach, Zürich, Switzerland

    Christian Wolfrum

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Li, M., Speakman, J.R. (2022). Setting Ambient Temperature Conditions to Optimize Translation of Molecular Work from the Mouse to Human: The “Goldilocks Solution”. In: Guertin, D.A., Wolfrum, C. (eds) Brown Adipose Tissue. Methods in Molecular Biology, vol 2448. Humana, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2087-8_15

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-0716-2087-8_15

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  • Publisher Name: Humana, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-0716-2086-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-0716-2087-8

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