Related article: Selection for Improved Efficiency of Lean Gain in Mice: Population and Procedures
This study uses the principle of TOBEC (total body electrical conductivity) as a simple, fast, noninvasive alternative to more traditional methods of determining body composition (lean body mass, percent body fat, and total body water). This method measures the ionic content of the electrolytes found in the hydrated tissues of a subject. The basic principle is that lean tissue conducts electricity 20 times more effectively than either fat or bone. A low-level electromagnetic field, less than that of a small radio, surrounds the subject in the detection chamber. The amount of energy absorbed by the subject is detected by the instrument, and the body composition measurements are calculated by the computer using a species-specific calibration equation. Instruments using the TOBEC technology are available for a wide range of animal sizes. Researchers using TOBEC technology have documented its usefulness in over 150 published research projects.
For more information about the specific instrument used in this study (EM-SCAN/TOBEC Model SA-3000), contact Larry Perko, Small Animal Product Manager, EM-SCAN, Inc., 3420 Constitution Dr., Springfield, IL 62707; phone (217) 793-3666; fax: (217) 793-3489.
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