Services provided

A. Consultation and teaching

In vivo studies

• Glucose homeostasis: glucose tolerance tests, insulin tolerance tests.
• Body composition: DEXA analysis of body fat or bone density (non-invasive, can be performed serially), carcass hydrolysis (terminal study)
• Signaling studies in response to injections of insulin, leptin, adiponectin. Experimental design.
• Animal models of insulin resistance (dietary, genetic, hypothalamic lesion).
• Assessment of hormone and metabolite concentrations – timing, stimulation, feeding status – experimental design.
• Fatty acid uptake and oxidation in individual tissues in vivo – consultation only.
  
  

In vitro studies

• Isolation of adipocytes – counting the number and assessing size.
• Glucose transport and metabolism studies in isolated adipocytes. Insulin dose response.
• Insulin or leptin signaling in isolated adipocytes – dose response.

Biochemical assays

• Insulin signaling: PI 3 kinase, Akt, GSK3, p70s6 kinase, MAP kinase, glycogen synthase activation; phosphorylation of insulin receptor and IRSs.
• Leptin signaling: Jaks, stats, AMP kinase, MAP kinase
• Tissue glycogen or lipid content.

B. Use of DEXA scanner for determination of body fat and/or bone density. Fee for service.

C. Use of Coulter Counter to measure cell number.