title: Calibration method for small animal indirect calorimeters.
abstract: A simple mini-butane burner or "artificial rat," for calibration of small animal indirect calorimeters (modified Benedict and Haldane systems), was developed. Substitution of this burner for a live animal at regular intervals in an experimental protocol provides a means by which whole system function can be verified without disturbing respirometer conditions. Heat production, degree of total combustion of butane, proportion of unburned butane, and the CO2 production (VCO2)-to-O2 consumption (VO2) ratio were determined in animal and burner experiments by direct measurement or were derived from mass equations. Burner security was also discussed. VCO2/VO2 obtained in calibration experiments using the Benedict system remained constant and was not significantly different from the expected value for total combustion of butane. Observation of a stabilization phase in the Haldane burner experiments illustrated the utility of calibration over the duration of a normal animal experiment. This miniburner gave highly reproducible results and simulated the daily VO2, VCO2, and heat production of an adult rat.
authors.affiliation: Institut National de la Santé et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) Unité 1, Hôpital Bichat, Paris, France.
authors.forename: S J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: MacKay
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loiseau
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Poivre
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Huot
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002138:Calibration; D002153:Calorimetry, Indirect / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000378:metabolism; D004867:Equipment Design; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D013696:Temperature
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide