Comprehensive Laboratory Animal Monitoring System for Core Facility

描述(申请人提供)：啮齿动物疾病模型，特别是转基因小鼠模型，为研究包括肥胖和2型糖尿病在内的代谢性疾病的潜在过程提供了强大的工具。为了了解这些模型的生理学和作为其表型基础的新陈代谢变化，必须使用能够进行专门和精确测量的设备来检查能量平衡和代谢变量。综合实验动物监测系统(CLAMS)持续和同步地监测活动、喂养和饮水，以及用于确定代谢率和RQ的VO2和VCO2。我们的动物表型鉴定核心设施只有一个8笼的文蛤，跟不上对这项服务的高需求和不断增长的需求；这种需求是因为需要进行这种分析的研究人员和老鼠模型的数量增加了。目前的系统也不足以分析采用多个对照组的动物模型。购买第二个12笼系统将允许以更及时的方式分析这些动物模型，这两个系统一起将能够一次分析多达20只动物。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Rodent models of disease, especially genetically-modified mouse models, have provided powerful tools to investigate the processes underlying metabolic diseases, including obesity and Type 2 diabetes. In order to understand the physiology of such models and the alterations in metabolism that underlie their phenotypes, equipment capable of specialized and precise measurements must be employed to examine energy balance and metabolic variables. The Comprehensive Laboratory Animal Monitoring System (CLAMS) continuously and simultaneously monitors activity, feeding, and drinking, as well as VO2 and VCO2 for the determination of metabolic rate and RQ. Our Animal Phenotyping Core facility has a single 8-cage CLAMS that cannot keep pace with the high and accelerating demand for this service; this demand results from the increased number of investigators and mouse models that require this analysis. The current system is also inadequate for the analysis of animal models that employ multiple control groups. The purchase of a second, 12-cage system will permit the analysis of these animal models in a more timely fashion and the two systems together will enable the analysis of up to 20 animals at one time.