Horm Metab Res 2004; 36(1): 67-69
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-814104
Short Communication
© Georg Thieme Verlag Stuttgart · New York

Elevation of Blood Glucose Following Anaesthetic Treatment in C57Bl/6 Mice

D.  Pomplun1 , M.  Möhlig1, 2 , J.  Spranger1, 2 , A.  F. H.  Pfeiffer1, 2 , M.  Ristow1, 2
  • 1German Institute for Human Nutrition, Bergholz-Rehbrücke, Germany
  • 2Free University of Berlin, Benjamin Franklin Medical Center, Berlin, Germany
Further Information

Publication History

Received 21 May 2003

Accepted after revision 19 September 2003

Publication Date:
25 February 2004 (online)

Introduction

In recent years, targeted disruption of numerous genes in mice has become eminently important in the study of genotype/phenotype relationships in diabetes and metabolism research [1] [2]. The inbred strain of mice most frequently used for such knock-out studies is termed C57Bl/6. Furthermore, mice carrying db/db or ob/ob mutations, which have been extensively studied by researchers for decades, are commonly bred on this particular genetic background.

Since numerous knock-out models are shared by different laboratories, results obtained with those should be comparable [3]. Specifically, diabetes and metabolism research mainly focus on blood glucose levels in these animals. Unfortunately, handling of animals, including various methods of anaesthesia, has an enormous impact on blood glucose levels in rodents [4] [5]. It appears likely that these unfortunate effects might be observed in mice as well. Indeed, B6C3F1 as well as ICR mice exhibit an increase in blood glucose levels following anaesthesia [6]. Since differences between genetically different strains of mice are enormous, those results derived from B6C3F1 as well as ICR mice cannot be applied to C57Bl/6 at all. Hence, installment of comparable standards in regards to anaesthesia of C57Bl/6 mice seems overdue, since animal ethics regulations require effective sedation especially for retro-orbital puncturing. This technique is commonly used to obtain larger amounts of blood from mice.

Since C57Bl/6 mice have not been investigated in regards to anaesthesia and regulation of blood glucose, we have evaluated the two most frequently used techniques for anaesthesia in mice in regards to alterations of blood glucose levels.

References

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M. Ristow

German Institute for Human Nutrition

114 Arthur-Scheunert-Allee · 14558 Bergholz-Rehbrücke · Germany

Phone: + 49 (33200) 88-771

Fax: + 49 (33200) 88-777

Email: mristow@mristow.org

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