长爪沙鼠季节性产热特征比较

与夏季相比、冬季长爪沙鼠的静止代谢率和非颤抖性产热显著升高;褐色脂肪组织线粒体的细胞色素C氧化酶与α-磷酸甘油氧化酶活力升高,组织总蛋白质及线粒体蛋白质含量增加,而组织的脂肪含量减少;血清T3含量和T3/T4值都显著增加。但是肝脏的各项产热指标变化不显著、表明褐色脂肪组织的产热功能具有季节波动性,是长爪沙鼠适应性产热的主要来源器官．     

大鼠恒温能力和产热的胎后发育

本文通过胎后各龄大鼠急性暴露于不同试验温度时的体温动态变化,显示大鼠体温调节的胎后发育有阶段性。同时表明肝线粒体的呼吸速率、氧化磷酸化及呼吸控制率等功能在胎后也有个发育过程。肝线粒体发育成熟时期,正是机体恒温能力迅速发展的阶段。推测肝线粒体的成熟可能是体温调节发育的细胞机制之一。褐色脂肪细胞色素氧化酶和α-磷酸甘油氧化酶活力的变化,表明褐色脂肪在大鼠新生儿阶段的体温调节中具有重要作用。     

长爪沙鼠褐色脂肪组织的适应性产热

低温（５±２℃）环境暴露１天、１周、４周长爪沙鼠的静止代谢率和非颤抖性产热、褐色脂肪组织蛋白质含量、线粒体细胞色素－Ｃ氧化酶和α－磷酸甘油氧化酶活力、钠钾泵活力以及环腺苷酸含量、血清Ｔ３含量等项产热指标逐渐提高;而低温驯化８周动物各项指标基本维持在４周水平上,表明长爪沙鼠在冷适应过程中产热能力逐渐提高,而后维持一稳定水平,其中褐色脂肪组织起重要调节作用。     

冷暴露长爪沙鼠下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺轴对产热的调节

为探讨下丘脑 -垂体 -肾上腺轴在野生小哺乳动物产热中的调节作用 ,对正常及肾上腺去除的长爪沙鼠进行了冷暴露研究。正常雄性长爪沙鼠在急性冷暴露 ( 4± 1℃ ,1天 )条件下 ,下丘脑促肾上腺皮质激素释放激素的合成和释放没有显著变化 ,肾上腺皮质酮含量增加 4 5 8% ,差异显著 ,血清皮质酮水平有增加趋势 ;慢性冷暴露 ( 4± 1℃ ,3周 )后 ,肾上腺皮质酮含量增加到对照的 2 14倍 ,血清皮质酮含量维持较高水平。肾上腺去除的长爪沙鼠冷暴露 3周后 ,褐色脂肪组织 (BAT)产热 (细胞色素C氧化酶活力、线粒体GTP结合数量 )增加 ,下丘脑促甲状腺激素释放激素的合成和释放、血清三碘甲腺原氨酸水平以及血清去甲肾上腺素的浓度均有增加的趋势。表明冷暴露条件下长爪沙鼠肾上腺皮质酮的合成和释放增加 ,从而抑制BAT的产热 ,皮质酮对BAT产热的抑制部分是通过抑制下丘脑 -垂体 -甲状腺轴激素的合成和分泌以及抑制交感神经系统的活动而实现的。     

长爪沙鼠褐色脂肪组织和肝脏产热特征的季节性变化

长爪沙鼠（Meriones unguiculatus）是一种栖息于典型草原和荒漠草原非冬眠群居性的小型哺乳动物。为研究其产热功能的季节变化,我们分别在2003年秋季（9月下旬）、冬季（11月下旬）、2004年春季（3月底-4月下旬）和夏季（7月下旬）,分别测定了其体重、褐色脂肪组织和肝脏的重量、线粒体总蛋白含量和细胞色素c氧化酶活力,以及褐色脂肪组织中解偶联蛋白1（Uncoupling protein1,UCPl）的含量等。结果显示：除雄鼠的体重显著高于雌鼠外,其它各项指标均无性别差异。体重和褐色脂肪组织的重量都在冬季较高,显著高于夏季,而肝脏的重量在夏季显著高于其它季节。褐色脂肪组织和肝脏的线粒体蛋白含量和细胞色素c氧化酶活力以及UCP1含量,都在冬季较高,夏季较低。这些结果表明：在野外条件下,褐色脂肪组织和肝脏在细胞水平上产热能力的提高和UCP1含量的增加,是长爪沙鼠抵御寒冷的重要方式。     

长爪沙鼠体外受精与早期胚胎体外培养体系的初步建立

目的探讨自配的获能液和受精液用于长爪沙鼠体外受精的可行性,为长爪沙鼠的胚胎保种提供参考。方法用自配的获能液和受精液对长爪沙鼠进行体外受精,并用改良后的KSOM培养液对长爪沙鼠的2细胞胚胎进行体外培养试验。结果长爪沙鼠体外受精率在60%以上,沙鼠2细胞胚胎能够在体外进一步发育。结论初步建立了长爪沙鼠体外受精和胚胎发育体系,但需要进一步优化。     

自愿转轮运动对长爪沙鼠身体组成的影响

为研究自愿转轮运动对长爪沙鼠(Meriones unguiculatus)体重的影响,在以前工作的基础上,分析了自愿转轮运动及8周后体重、胴体重和体水,以及心、肝、脾、肺、肾、性腺(睾丸或卵巢)、消化道、腓肠肌、比目鱼肌、肾周脂肪垫和肠系膜脂肪垫等器官及组织的重量变化。结果发现,自愿转轮运动条件下长爪沙鼠胴体湿重、体水和心、肝、脾、肾、腓肠肌、消化道等器官重量增加。自愿转轮运动对比目鱼肌和器官脂肪垫重量的影响存在性别差异。自愿转轮运动使雄性长爪沙鼠器官的脂肪垫重量增加,但雌性降低;对雄性长爪沙鼠比目鱼肌重量没有影响,但雌性增加。以上结果表明,自愿转轮运动促进了长爪沙鼠的体重增长,改变了长爪沙鼠的身体组成。内脏器官和体水重量的增加是体重增加的主要原因。     

年龄对布氏田鼠和长爪沙鼠能量代谢的影响

能量代谢对动物的存活和繁殖等生活史特征具有重要的调控作用.布氏田鼠(Lasiopodomys brandtii)和长爪沙鼠(Meriones unguiculatus)是内蒙古草原同域分布的两种啮齿动物,前者的体重和野外寿命要明显小于后者,这符合寿命随体型增大而增加的一般规律.本研究进一步探讨了随年龄增加,两种动物的能量代谢特征的改变.发现布氏田鼠的非颤抖性产热能力随年龄增加而降低,而长爪沙鼠的非颤抖性产热能力随年龄增加而保持稳定.布氏田鼠的摄食能力和身体脂肪储备随年龄增加而降低;而长爪沙鼠摄食能力不随年龄改变,脂肪储备则随年龄增加而增加.长爪沙鼠的基础代谢水平低于布氏田鼠,其繁殖成熟时间更长.本研究推测,这些随年龄而变的生理特征反映了两种动物不同的生活史对策:布氏田鼠更倾向于尽快繁殖,其他与生存相关的生理指标随年龄增加而迅速降低,而长爪沙鼠更倾向于将能量投资到较晚期的存活和繁殖.     

布氏田鼠对低温的适应性产热

将布氏田鼠置１到３０天的低温（６±１℃）环境下暴露,其体重与体温没有明显变化;静止代谢率（ＲＭＲ）、非震颤性产热（ＮＳＴ）及血清中三碘甲腺原氨酸（Ｔ３）含量,随冷暴露时间的延长而增加;肝线粒体状态３呼吸及细胞色素Ｃ氧化酶活力亦随冷暴露时间的延长而升高。肝线粒体蛋白质含量经冷暴露３０天时有明显升高,表明动物在低温适应中肝线粒体蛋白合成增加与呼吸功能增强是个体ＲＭＲ提高的细胞学机制之一。布氏田鼠褐色脂     

长爪沙鼠生长繁殖性能的研究

目的　动物的生长繁殖性能是其生理学数据的重要组成部分 ,对实验动物的开发和应用具有指导意义。方法　选择离乳的长爪沙鼠 80只 (雌雄各半 ) ,一雌一雄长期同居。结果　每胎产仔 3～ 7只的居多 ,占总胎数的 77% ;平均每胎产仔 (5 .0 2± 2 .1 1 )只 ;每年产仔胎数 5～ 9胎的较多 ,占总胎数的 91 .7% ,平均 (7.4 9± 2 .0 1 )胎 /年 ;最早的初产周龄为 1 3周龄 ,最长的 5 2周龄 ,在 1 3～ 2 0和 2 5～ 2 8周龄的居多 ,占总对数的 80 %。长爪沙鼠的平均出生重为 3.5g ,成年鼠平均体重雌性 5 5 .6g ,雄性 6 7.2g。结论　普通级长爪沙鼠封闭群配种日龄最早在 6 5日龄 ,初产日龄超过 2 0 0日龄的长爪沙鼠应淘汰 ;性别对长爪沙鼠体重无显著影响     

Long photophase is not a sufficient stimulus to reduce thermogenic capacity in winter-acclimatized short-tailed field voles (Microtus agrestis) during long-term cold acclimation

The thermogenic capacity of brown adipose tissue in winter- and summer-acclimatized short-tailed field voles (Microtus agrestis) was investigated by examining changes in mass of brown adipose tissue, the ratio of white adipose tissue to brown adipose tissue, the concentration of the uncoupling protein (thermogenin) in whole depots (μg) and in mitochondrial mass (μg·mg^-1) and the activity of cytochrome c oxidase in the depots (mmol·min^-1). The concentration of thermogenin in winter-acclimatized voles (n=8), per brown adipose tissue depot and per mitochondrial mass, was significantly higher than in summer-acclimatized voles (n=6). There was no significant difference in the level of cytochrome c oxidase activity between these two groups. Four groups of winter-acclimatized voles (n=6 in each group) were exposed to 5°C for 10, 20, 50 and 100 days in a 14L:10D photoperiod. Body mass, brown adipose tissue mass, white adipose tissue mass and basal metabolic rate were significantly positively related to the length of time cold exposed up to 100 days. There was a significant inverse relationship between the ratio of white to brown adipose tissue mass and the duration of cold exposure. There was no significant relationship between thermogenin concentration, either per depot or in mitochondrial mass of brown adipose tissue, with the length of time cold exposed. The level of cytochrome c oxidase activity increased significantly from control levels to a maximum after 10 days in the cold but decreased from 10 days onwards. In winter-acclimatized M. agrestis, a 14L:10D photoperiod is not a sufficient stimulus to reduce thermogenic capacity during cold acclimation. Indeed, some changes in the indirect parameters reflecting thermogenesis, notably the increase in basal metabolic rate and the decrease in the ratio of white to brown adipose tissue mass, indicated that despite the long photophase the thermogenic capacity was slightly further enhanced during the cold acclimation.     

Effects of chronic cold exposure on the activities of cytochrome c oxidase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in rat tissues (Rattus norvegicus)

The effects of cold acclimation on the activity levels of cytochrome c oxidase, glutathione peroxidase and glutathione reductase in various tissues of the rat (Rattus norvegicus) were investigated. One group was individually housed at 4 +/- 1 degrees C and the other at 24 +/- 1 degrees C for 6 months. Chronic cold acclimation resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) increased cytochrome c oxidase activity levels in liver, kidney, heart, interscapular brown adipose tissue and gastrocnemius muscle. The activity of glutathione peroxidase was significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in liver, interscapular brown adipose tissue, lung and muscle, whereas glutathione reductase was only significantly (P < 0.05) elevated in interscapular brown adipose tissue as a result of chronic cold exposure. The results obtained are possibly indicative of a positive compensatory response against the increased production of oxygen derived radicals as a result of chronic cold exposure.     

Responses to cafeteria feeding in mice after the removal of interscapular brown adipose tissue

Feeding acafeteria diet to mice resulted in an increased energy intake of approximately 30% and this led to increases in the wet weight, total protein content , and total cytochrome oxidase activity of interscapular and dorso-cervical brown adipose tissue. Surgical removal of interscapular brown adipose tissue, followed by cafeteria feeding, gave rise to an elevation in dorso-cervical brown adipose tissue wet weight, total protein content, and total cytochrome oxidase activity, compared to intact cafeteria-fed mice. Cafeteria feeding with or without the removal of interscapular brown adipose tissue did not lead to significant increases in body weight compared to stock-fed control mice, but both cafeteria-fed groups of mice showed significant elevations in body fat content indicating that the induced hyperphagia led to a relative obesity in the cafeteria-fed groups. The results presented are consistent with an increased thermogenic activity in the brown adipose tissue of cafeteria-fed mice, and the effect of the removal of interscapular brown adipose tissue further indicates the quantitative importance of the tissue in the control of body weight.     

Iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase activity in rat brown adipose tissue during development

Iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase activity in rat brown adipose tissue has a characteristic pattern of developmental changes that is completely different from that of the liver. Fetal brown fat exhibits an extremely high iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase activity that is approx. 10-fold that in adult rats. Even though brown fat iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase activity falls suddenly at birth, there is a new peak in the activity around days 5-7 of life, whereas it remains very low afterwards. Just after birth, brown adipose tissue iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase activity is already capable of stimulation by noradrenaline. The postnatal peak in brown fat iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase correlates with the known increase in the thermogenic activity of the tissue in the neonatal rat, thus reinforcing the suggestion that local 3',3,5-triiodothyronine generation could be an important event related to thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue. However, the high fetal activity was only slightly related to the thermogenic activity of brown fat. Moreover, the increased iodothyronine 5'-deiodinase activity of brown adipose tissue during fetal and neonatal life suggests a substantial contribution by brown fat in the overall extrathyroidal 3',3,5-triiodothyronine production in these physiological periods.     

Carnitine and brown adipose tissue metabolism in the rat during development

1. The content of carnitine, acylcarnitine and total acid soluble carnitine in brown adipose tissue of rats increases rapidly after birth, attaining a peak on about day 10 and then decreases. Similar changes with age were found for carnitine acetyltransferase activity in mitochondria from brown adipose tissue and heart. The activity of this enzyme in brain and in liver is much smaller, but also increases postnatally. 2. The activity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase in brown adipose tissue, however, decreases after birth then increases later in life. 3. Exposure of 18-day-old rats to the cold for 20 days leads to an increase in carnitine content in brown adipose tissue and raises the activity of carnitine acetyltransferase. The activity of carnitine palmitoyltransferase is not affected by cold adaptation.     

Amino-acid-enzyme activities in brown and white adipose tissues and in the liver of cafeteria rats. Effects of 24 hours starving

Moderate obesity (17% excess body weight) was induced in female rats by offering a "cafeteria" diet during 82 days. The adaptive changes in five amino-acid-metabolism enzymes were determined in liver and white- and brown adipose tissues by comparison with chow fed controls both in the fed and 24-h starved states. Plasma urea levels were lower in the obese and the changes in enzymatic activities pointed to a lower rate of amino-acid metabolism in our dietary obesity group. The levels of activity of amino-acid-metabolism enzymes in brown adipose tissue were higher than in white adipose tissue and in most cases comparable to that of liver. The importance of amino acids as a fuel source in brown adipose tissue thermogenesis cannot be ruled out.     

Reduced noradrenaline turnover in brown adipose tissue of lactating rats

Brown adipose tissue properties as well as noradrenaline turnover in the tissue were determined in 15-day lactating rats and virgin controls. Brown adipose tissue thermogenic activity was reduced in lactating rats as shown by a decrease in weight, cytochrome oxidase activity and mitochondrial GDP-binding. The noradrenaline turnover rate was lower in brown adipose tissue from lactating rats. It is suggested that diminished sympathetic activity in brown adipose tissue may be a major cause of the reduced tissue thermogenic activity during lactation.     

Noradrenaline turnover in brown adipose tissue and the heart of fed and fasted golden hamsters

The effect of fasting on sympathetic activity in tissues of the golden hamster has been investigated using measurements of noradrenaline turnover. Fasting for 60 h did not have a significant effect on noradrenaline turnover, both fractional and total, in brown adipose tissue or the heart. Fasting did, however, result in a functional atrophy of brown adipose tissue; tissue weight, protein content, and cytochrome oxidase activity were each reduced after a 60-h fast. These results suggest that the atrophy of brown adipose tissue induced by fasting in the golden hamster does not relate to a major decrease in sympathetic activity. The findings add further support for the view that the thermogenic capacity of brown adipose tissue is not primarily dependent on sympathetic activity in the golden hamster.     

Number of mice per cage influences uncoupling protein content of brown adipose tissue.

The effect of housing density of mice on the thermogenic state and capacity of their brown adipose tissue was studied. Mice were housed one, two, or six per cage at 28 degrees C for 15 days. Increased housing density suppressed the thermogenic capacity of brown adipose tissue (decreased the total amount of uncoupling protein) and decreased the thermogenic state of brown adipose tissue mitochondria (decreased GDP binding). A density of six mice per cage had a greater effect than a density of two mice per cage. The size of brown adipose tissue (wet weight and protein content), the content of mitochondria in it (cytochrome oxidase content), and the total activity of thyroxine 5'-deiodinase were not altered by housing density. We conclude that even at a temperature close to thermoneutrality (29-33 degrees C for the mouse), the occurrence of social thermoregulation (huddling) reduces the requirement for brown adipose tissue thermogenesis and results in a reduction in its thermogenic capacity. It is clearly of importance that the design of studies of mouse brown adipose tissue take into account not only the temperature at which the mice are housed, but also the number of mice housed per cage.     

Postnatal appearance of uncoupling protein and formation of thermogenic mitochondria in hamster brown adipose tissue

Brown adipose tissue of developing hamster was characterized by western blotting, enzyme activity measurements and immunoelectron microscopy. During the first postnatal week the tissue contained significant amounts of differentiating mitochondria and comparable quantities of active cytochrome oxidase and ATP synthase. The uncoupling protein appeared on the 7/8th day and its specific content increased 80-times between day 8 and day 17. In parallel, the specific content and activity of cytochrome oxidase increased 3-times but ATP synthase decreased 2-times. The total content of uncoupling protein and of cytochrome oxidase in interscapular brown adipose tissue increased 360- and 11-times, respectively. Analysis of isolated mitochondria showed that the observed differences result mainly from changes of the enzymic equipment of the mitochondrial membrane. During the same interval, propylthiouracil-insensitive "type II' thyroxine 5'-deiodinase activity in brown adipose tissue increased 10-times. It was concluded that the thermogenic function of the hamster brown adipose tissue develops after the first postnatal week due to highly differentiated synthesis of mitochondrial proteins leading to replacement of preexisting, uncoupling protein-lacking nonthermogenic mitochondria by thermogenic ones, similarly as shown in brown adipose tissue of the embryonic mouse and rat (Houst?k, J., et al. (1988) Biochim. Biophys. Acta 935, 19-25).