Document Detail


Apparatus for measuring rat body volume: a methodological proposition.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  17082370     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
We propose a communicating-vessels system to measure body volume in live rats through water level detection by hydrostatic weighing. The reproducibility, accuracy, linearity, and reliability of this apparatus were evaluated in two tests using previously weighed water or six aluminum cylinders of known volume after proper system calibration. The applicability of this apparatus to measurement of live animals (Wistar rats) was tested in a transversal experiment with five rats, anesthetized and nonanesthetized. We took 18 measurements of the volume under each condition (anesthetized and nonanesthetized), totaling 90 measurements. The addition of water volumes (50-700 ml) produced a regression equation with a slope of 1.0006 +/- 0.0017, intercept of 0.75 +/- 0.81 (R(2) = 0.99999, standard error of estimate = 0.58 ml), and bias of approximately 1 ml. The differences between cylinders of known volumes and volumes calculated by the system were <0.4 ml. Mean volume errors were 0.01-0.07%. Among the live models, the difference between the volumes obtained for anesthetized and nonanesthetized rats was 0.31 +/- 2.34 (SD) ml (n = 90). These data showed that animal movement does not interfere with the volume measured by the proposed apparatus, and neither anesthesia nor fur shaving is needed for this procedure. Nevertheless, some effort should be taken to eliminate air bubbles trapped in the apparatus or the fur. The proposed apparatus for measuring rat body volume is inexpensive and may be useful for a range of scientific purposes.
Authors:
Rodrigo Hohl; Renato Buscariolli de Oliveira; Denise Vaz de Macedo; René Brenzikofer
Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't     Date:  2006-11-02
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of applied physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)     Volume:  102     ISSN:  8750-7587     ISO Abbreviation:  J. Appl. Physiol.     Publication Date:  2007 Mar 
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2007-03-07     Completed Date:  2007-04-30     Revised Date:  -    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  8502536     Medline TA:  J Appl Physiol     Country:  United States    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  1229-34     Citation Subset:  IM    
Affiliation:
Departmento de Bioquímica, Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Campinas, Brasil.
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Body Weights and Measures / instrumentation*,  methods
Male
Rats
Rats, Wistar
Water
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
7732-18-5/Water

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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