Project protocol - Contents

• Workflow and sampling
• Equipment and supplies
• Reagents and solutions
• Procedure: Body weight and body composition
• Procedure: Food intake
• Data

Workflow and sampling

Step	Procedure	Equipment	Data collected
1	Voluntary wheel running	Standard laboratory cages with attached running wheels	See McMullan2
2	Weigh mice	Scales	Body weight
3	Assess body composition	MRI	Lean mass, fat mass
4	Determine food intake	Scales	Food intake

Equipment and supplies

• Scales
• Whole body MRI (EchoMRI 3-in-1 Body Composition Analyzer, EchoMRI, Houston TX)

Reagents and solutions

• Disinfectant

Procedure: Body weight and body composition

1. Mice are weighed prior to MRI.
2. Body composition is assessed using whole body MRI prior to the start of the experiment, mid experiment (2 wks) and at the end of the experiment (4 wks).
3. All measurements are collected between 0700 and 1200h.
4. Fat mass and lean mass percentages are calculated relative to body weight.
5. Three responses are calculated: response 1 (wks 1-2), response 2 (wks 3-4), and total response (from start to 4 wks).
6. Response = [((Post percentage - Pre percentage)/Pre percentage) * 100]

Procedure: Food intake

1. Food is weighed at the beginning and end of the time period for wks 1-2 and wks 3-4.
2. Food intake is calculated as [Pre food weight – post food weight].

Data collected by investigator

• Body weight
  
• Body composition
  • Fat percentage
  • Lean percentage
• Responses (changes)
  • Body weight over time
  • Fat percentage over time
  • Lean percentage over time
• Food intake