Effect of caging singly or in groups of different sizes on the thermogenic activity of interscapular brown adipose tissue in mice

The effects on the thermogenic activity of brown adipose tissue of caging mice singly or in groups of different sizes has been investigated. At 23 degrees C the total cytochrome oxidase activity and the level of mitochondrial GDP binding were higher in mice caged singly than in mice caged in groups of three or six. At 4 degrees C GDP binding and cytochrome oxidase activity were lower in mice caged in groups of two, three or six than in mice caged singly. The mitochondrial concentration of uncoupling protein was not clearly affected by the number of mice in each cage.