Measurement of body composition in rats and mice

描述（由申请人提供）：许多类型的研究需要精确测量身体成分。在此申请中，我们请求资助购买用于测量身体成分（脂肪、肌肉和水）的设备。该设备将满足13个由美国国立卫生研究院资助的项目的需要，这些项目由莫奈尔化学感官中心的8名研究人员进行。目前，在莫奈尔，身体成分的测定是通过化学分析，这是缓慢的，或者通过DEXA，这仅限于小鼠，需要麻醉；或者我们使用附近的设备，在测量完成后需要牺牲动物。本应用中要求的系统的优点是：(1)它测量组织样品或几种清醒动物的成分（通过使用限制运动的动物管），(2)它比其他方法更快更准确，(3)它可以在现场测量动物，而不需要在事后牺牲它们。从测量身体成分中受益的项目包括小鼠和大鼠肥胖的遗传学；选择性繁殖小鼠对酒精的偏好味觉与肥胖、食物摄入和体重的相互作用，尤其是在“嗜甜”的老鼠身上；对钙等矿物质的需求；炎症对味觉的影响；以及味觉功能受损或增强或肠道营养感知缺陷的基因工程小鼠。所要求的设备将提高一个大型核心调查小组所做工作的质量。这些领域的转化研究是至关重要的，因为重点是肥胖预防和其他营养摄入疾病，如酗酒、过量摄入甜食和糖尿病。

DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): Many types of research require accurate measures of body composition. In this application, we are requesting funding to purchase equipment designed to measure body composition (fat, muscle, and water). This equipment will meet the needs of thirteen National Institutes of Health- funded projects conducted by eight investigators at the Monell Chemical Senses Center. Currently, body composition is measured at Monell by chemical analysis, which is slow, or by DEXA, which is limited to mice and requires anesthetization; or we make use of nearby equipment that necessitates sacrifice of animals after measurements are taken. The advantages of the system requested in this application are that (1) it measures composition in tissue samples or in awake animals of several species (by use of animal tubes that restrict movement), (2) it is faster and more accurate than the other methods, and (3) it can measure the animals while they are onsite, without need to sacrifice them afterward. The projects that would benefit from measuring body composition involve the genetics of obesity in mice and rats; alcohol preference among selectively bred strains of mice; the interaction of taste and obesity, food intake, and body weight, especially in mice that are "sweet-liker's"; the appetite for minerals such as calcium; the effect of inflammation on taste; and genetically engineered mice with compromised or enhanced taste function or with deficits in gut nutrient sensing. This requested equipment will enhance the quality of the work done by a large core group of investigators. Translational research in these areas is of critical concern because of the focus on obesity prevention and other diseases of nutrient intake, e.g., alcoholism, excess sweet intake, and diabetes. Public Health Relevance: The body composition of animals can differ because of naturally-occurring genetic variation, genetic manipulation, or other treatments, e.g., a diet high in fat or calories. The fast and accurate measurement of body composition in animals enhances the quality and reliability of experimental results. To that end, we are requesting funds to purchase a Bruker minispec LF110 system that will measure the amount of fat, muscle, and water in animal models of human disease.