Animal Phenotyping/Metabolism Core

Example of one of our services we offer to our NORC investigators on a Seahorse instrument Mitochondrial Respiratory Profile. Oxygen-consumption in live-cells in response to basal conditions (glucose and pyruvate), oligomycin (ATP synthase inhibitor), FCCP (chemical uncoupler), and antimycin-A (complex III inhibitor).

The Metabolic Phenotyping Core (MPC) provides state-of-the-art analytical and phenotypical measures to the scientific community both inside and outside UT Southwestern Medical Center. Our goal is to expand the scope of techniques available to investigators, standardize key methodologies, and expedite the completion of research on diseases related to metabolic disorders (diabetes and obesity), cancer, aging neurological disorders. The rationale for our Core Services is to provide the technical expertise at multiple levels and offers the advantage that:

• Centralized core services are more cost-effective and prevent the duplication of reagents across all of our NORC investigators.
• We can provide consistency in various assays across all NORC laboratories.
• It provides consistent quality control measures.
• It makes available technically challenging assays, such as hyperinsulinemic-euglycemic clamps and other metabolic phenotyping efforts that cannot be established in individual laboratories accessible to all NORC investigators.
• And it frees investigators from routine work to focus on the intellectual challenges of the projects.

CT scan of WT and adipocyte-specific Paqr4 overexpressing mice. ROI of gWAT (blue), sWAT (red) and BAT (yellow) were highlighted, and the fat pad volume was measured PAQR4 overexpression leads to a dramatic reduction in fat mass.

Another example of services offered is our new Micro-CT Scanner: Also, under the management of the MPC, we have recently acquired a Bruker SKYSCAN 1276 micro-CT scanner system. This is a high-performance (fast scanning, low dose) stand-alone Desk-Top in vivo micro-CT for preclinical research that can offer an optimum combination of resolution, image field size and scan speed. An image field of view (up to 80 mm wide and more than 300 mm long) that allows full body mouse and rat scanning and distal limb scanning for bigger animals, such as rabbits. The availability of variable magnification allows for scanning bone and tissue samples with high spatial resolution in vivo longitudinal studies. The instrument also includes a standard integrated physiological monitoring subsystem for real-time visual monitoring, movement detection, synchronization with breathing and heart activities while keeping stable preselected animal temperature. The instrument is user operated after the appropriate training has been completed as well as scanning services are provided via the MPC being the instrument operated by one of our trained technicians.

Program Director

Philipp Scherer, Ph.D.

Professor on Internal Medicine
Director of the Touchstone Diabetes Center

Joel.Elmquist@UTSouthwestern.edu Phone: 214-648-8715