Body Mass Distribution Testing Service
InquiryOverview of Body Mass Distribution
Body mass distribution refers to the spatial arrangement and proportion of different tissue types (e.g., fat, muscle, organs) within an organism, with a primary focus on fat compartmentalization (subcutaneous vs. visceral fat) and its metabolic implications. At Protheragen, it specifically emphasizes how fat is distributed across distinct anatomical depots, which critically influences health outcomes such as insulin resistance, cardiovascular disease risk, and systemic inflammation. The service directly supports targets for developing anti-obesity therapeutics by identifying and validating fat depot-specific molecular mechanisms, informs anti-obesity therapy development by quantifying compartment-specific drug efficacy, and enhances preclinical studies of anti-obesity therapeutics.
| Targets for Developing Anti-Obesity Therapeutics | Anti-Obesity Therapy Development | Preclinical Studies of Anti-Obesity Therapeutics |
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Mapping Fat, Redefining Health
Our body mass distribution testing service is a specialized preclinical research tool designed to quantitatively analyze fat distribution in rodent models, particularly rats, using advanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based methodologies. As a core component of obesity Physiology and Biochemistry Analysis Services, this service focuses on distinguishing and tracking changes in subcutaneous fat (SAT) and visceral fat (VAT) compartments, providing critical insights into obesity mechanisms and therapeutic interventions.
Anesthesia & Positioning
Before each MRI scan, rats undergo a 6-8-hour fasting period. We anesthetize rats with isoflurane via nose cone while continuously monitoring respiratory/heart rates to balance imaging stability and animal welfare. Subjects are secured supine on an MRI cradle using non-restrictive tape to avoid abdominal compression.
MRI Acquisition
Whole-body T1-weighted scans are performed using a 7T preclinical MRI (TR/TE=500/12 ms, 1 mm slices) with standardized parameters. Baseline and 7-week follow-up scans are conducted at consistent circadian timings under identical anesthesia and scanner conditions.
Fat Quantification
Two parallel analyses are conducted:
- Manual segmentation: Key slices are analyzed in ImageJ by researchers tracing subcutaneous/visceral fat boundaries. Volumes are calculated through slice-wise area integration.
- Automated processing: A custom algorithm segments fat voxels using T1w intensity thresholds and anatomical masks, generating precise volumetric measurements (total/subcutaneous/visceral fat in mm3).
This dual-approach ensures cross-validated, high-resolution fat distribution data while maintaining protocol standardization across longitudinal studies.
Workflow
Applications
- Our service can be used to quantify anti-obesity drug effects to unravel metabolic protection mechanisms.
- Correlates dietary regimens (high-fat, high-sugar) with fat distribution shifts and biomarkers (leptin, insulin) to study metabolic syndrome etiology.
- Our service can be applied to evaluate fat distribution phenotypes in obesity-related gene knockout/overexpression models.
Advantages
- Our service enables repeated MRI scans on the same cohort, reducing animal use.
- Our service identifies compartment-specific effects of drugs or diets
- Our algorithm enables rapid analysis of large datasets, shortening study timelines.
Publication Data
DOI: 10.1186/1476-511X-9-140
Journal: Lipids in health and disease
Published: 2010
IF: 3.9
Result: This study evaluates the utility of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and abdominal circumference measurement as non-sacrificial tools to predict visceral adipose tissue (VAT) in rats. Using 43 male Wistar rats with varying body weights, ages, and fat levels, researchers compared in vivo DXA-derived "central fat mass" and abdominal circumference against ex vivo VAT quantified via dissection (perirenal and peri-epididymal fat). Results showed strong correlations: central fat mass by DXA closely matched dissected VAT (r = 0.94, p < 0.001), while abdominal circumference correlated significantly with total VAT in the entire cohort (r = 0.82) and central fat mass (r = 0.90). However, in lean rats, abdominal circumference failed to correlate with VAT. The study concludes that DXA-based central fat mass is a reliable, non-terminal method for longitudinal VAT assessment in rats, and abdominal circumference serves as a practical tool for overweight/obese cohorts, enabling in vivo tracking of visceral fat changes without sacrificing animals.
Frequently Asked Questions
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Does the service support other animal models?
The current protocol is optimized for rats, but customized solutions for mice or other rodents are available upon request.
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Why is a 6-8-hour fasting period required?
Fasting minimizes gastrointestinal contents and peristaltic artifacts, enhancing abdominal fat imaging clarity.
Protheragen's body mass distribution analysis technology stands as a gold-standard tool for obesity research, offering non-invasive, high-precision, and dynamic tracking of fat compartments. Its reproducibility and automation make it ideal for large-scale preclinical trials, bridging translational gaps between animal models and human studies. For technical details or customized study designs, feel free to contact us!
Reference
- Gerbaix, M.; et al. Visceral fat mass determination in rodent: validation of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and anthropometric techniques in fat and lean rats. Lipids in health and disease. 2010, 9: 1-9. (CC BY 2.0)
All of our services and products are intended for preclinical research use only and cannot be used to diagnose, treat or manage patients.