title: Forty mouse strain survey of body composition.
abstract: We measured body weight and composition of approximately 10 male and approximately 10 female mice from 40 inbred strains. Body composition was assessed in approximately 16-wk old mice that had been individually housed and fed a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet (AIN-76A) for the previous 8 wk. Carcass lean and fat weights were assessed using a PIXIMus II DEXA and confirmed by fat extraction assay. There was a nearly continuous range of body weights, from a strain mean+/-SE of 11.4+/-0.2 g (MSM/MsJ) to 39.3+/-1.8 g (NON/LtJ). The percentage of body weight that was fat (%Fat) ranged from 16+/-4% (C58/J) to 39+/-2% (NON/LtJ). In general, heavier strains had a higher %Fat (r=0.57) but several light strains were also quite fat (e.g., SPRET/EiJ, body weight=15.7+/-0.6 g, %Fat=26+/-1%). Males were significantly heavier than females in 26 strains and significantly fatter than females in 9 strains; only the KK/H1J strain had fatter females than males. Some of the fattest strains are infrequently used in obesity experiments, for example the JF1/Ms and CBA/J strains. These data illustrate the diversity of body weight and composition in inbred mice. They will serve as a reference standard and assist in the selection of strains for future work.
authors.affiliation: Monell Chemical Senses Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA.
authors.forename: Danielle R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Reed
authors.forename: Alexander A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Bachmanov
authors.forename: Michael G
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Tordoff
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008815:Mice, Inbred Strains / Q000502:physiology*; D012015:Reference Standards; D012737:Sex Factors; D013045:Species Specificity
chemical_list: D004040:Dietary Carbohydrates; D004041:Dietary Fats