Publication Date
3-29-2024
Journal
JoVE: Peer Reviewed Scientific Video Journal Article Protocols
DOI
10.3791/66475
PMID
38619263
PMCID
PMC11614390
PubMedCentral® Posted Date
12-3-2024
PubMedCentral® Full Text Version
Author MSS
Published Open-Access
yes
Keywords
Adult, Humans, Animals, Mice, Adipose Tissue, Brown, Dissection, Gene Expression Profiling, Dendritic Spines, Neck
Abstract
Brown adipose tissue (BAT)-mediated thermogenesis plays an important role in the regulation of metabolism, and its morphology and function can be greatly impacted by environmental stimuli in mice and humans. Currently, murine interscapular BAT (iBAT), which is located between two scapulae in the upper dorsal flank of mice, is the main BAT depot used by research laboratories to study BAT function. Recently, a few previously unknown BAT depots were identified in mice, including one analogous to human supraclavicular brown adipose tissue. Unlike iBAT, murine supraclavicular brown adipose tissue (scBAT) is situated in the intermediate layer of the neck and thus cannot be accessed as readily.
To facilitate the study of newly identified mouse scBAT, presented herein is a protocol detailing the steps to dissect intact scBAT from postnatal and adult mice. Due to scBAT’s small size relative to other adipose depots, procedures have been modified and optimized specifically for processing scBAT. Among these modifications is the use of a dissecting microscope during tissue collection to increase the precision and homogenization of frozen scBAT samples to raise the efficiency of subsequent qPCR analysis. With these optimizations, the identification of, morphological appearance of, and molecular characterization of the scBAT can be determined in mice.
Included in
Biochemical Phenomena, Metabolism, and Nutrition Commons, Community Health and Preventive Medicine Commons, Dietetics and Clinical Nutrition Commons, Neurosciences Commons, Nutrition Commons, Pediatrics Commons