The Measurement of Whole-Body Glucose Homeostasis in Mice.

Abstract

The resident immune cells (e.g., macrophages) present in major metabolic tissues, such as adipose and liver tissues, play crucial roles in respective tissue homeostasis through cross talk with metabolic tissues, and consequently in metabolic homeostasis at the systemic level, and their dysregulation contributes to metabolic dysregulation at large, as well as many associated diseases. Moreover, the cross talk between different resident immune cells and metabolic tissues is not limited to an intra-organ level but also includes interorgan cross talk, as they work in a coordinated manner throughout the body, such as in adipose tissue, skeletal muscle, and liver. Thus, it is important to determine the impact of altered immune functions on metabolic homeostasis and vice versa, to enhance our knowledge of immunometabolic biology. Glucose and insulin tolerance tests are simple methods that enable the measurement and analysis of the overall glucose homeostasis at the systemic level. Here we describe the process of performing metabolic tests for glucose homeostasis in mice, as mouse models are often used for defining the mechanistic underpinnings of physiology and pathophysiology related to immunometabolism, and in preclinical studies.