Small Animal Phenotyping Core

University Of Alabama At Birmingham, Birmingham AL

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

The Metabolism Core is a state-of-the art facility for assessing human energy expenditure, body composition,[unreadable] and risk for chronic metabolic disease. It provides expertise, resources, and training in:[unreadable] ? Energy expenditure (free-living energy expenditure by doubly-labeled water and isotope-ratio mass[unreadable] spectrometry);[unreadable] ? Body composition and fat distribution [(underwater weighing and BodPod for measurement of whole[unreadable] body density; dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) for measurement of regional and whole-body[unreadable] bone, fat, and soft lean tissue; isotope dilution for assessment of total body water; multi-compartment[unreadable] models of body composition; analysis of regional body composition (intra-abdominal and subcutaneous[unreadable] abdominal adipose tissue from computed tomography scans)];[unreadable] ? Insulin sensitivity testing (frequently-sampled, intravenous, glucose tolerance test with minimal[unreadable] modeling); oral glucose tolerance test with analysis of insulin and glucose;[unreadable] ? Analysis of glucose, lipids, and hormones (including obesity-related hormones, e.g., leptin, adiponectin;[unreadable] diabetes-related hormones, e.g., insulin, C-peptide, glucagon, GLP-1, GIP; a reproductive-endocrine[unreadable] panel, e.g., estradiol, testosterone, other steroid hormones, gonadotropins; elements of the IGF system,[unreadable] e.g., IGF-1 and its binding proteins; cytokines and markers of inflammation, e.g., TNF-a and its[unreadable] receptors, IL-6, CRP);[unreadable] ? Analysis of isotopically-labeled glucose and amino acids by GC/MS for use in in vivo metabolic studies[unreadable] (e.g., endogenous glucose production, protein turnover).[unreadable] Since inception in 2000, Core A has supported 65 investigators and 102 research projects. Current core use[unreadable] includes 24 investigators from 13 departments/divisions across DAB, and seven investigators from outside[unreadable] of DAB. These investigators have a total of 47 funded projects that use Core services. Of these projects, 38[unreadable] (81%) are federally-funded. Two CNRU P/F studies presently use the Metabolism Core.[unreadable] New Methods Development includes, 1) the validation of a non-invasive test for insulin sensitivity in children[unreadable] using a mixed-meal, and, 2) implementation of methodology for assessing insulin secretion and clearance[unreadable] using data resulting from a mixed-meal test.