Diabetes Center Animal Characterization CoreClick image for larger view

Core Director: Susanna Keller, MD (434) 243-5780

The Animal Characterization Core (ACC) has two laboratories:

Physiology Laboratory
Assay Laboratory 

For more information, view the PowerPoint presentation on the ACC (12.7 MB) given at the Research in Progress  seminar December 14, 2005 (click the PowerPoint link above to view). 

Physiology Laboratory

Laboratory Specialist:   Hongxia Chao  (243-5910)
Location: Room G-131, Animal Facility and Room 1237, Aurbach Research Building,
              Fontaine Research Park (450 Ray C. Hunt Drive)
Order form:   ACC Animal Physiology Order form.doc 
              Return by e-mail as an attachment to Hongxia Chao (hc2p@virginia.edu)

The Physiology Laboratory provides facilities to measure metabolic and hemodynamic parameters in vivo in rodents. In addition, it will facilitate access to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), ultrasound and dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) instruments for in vivo assessment of anatomic and functional abnormalities.

Services provided by the Physiology Laboratory:

  In vivo services:

  • Blood collection for the measurement of blood metabolites and hormones
  • Insulin and glucose tolerance tests
  • Metabolic caging (Comprehensive laboratory animal monitoring system (CLAMS) Columbus Instruments) for automated non-invasive 24 hour monitoring of food and water intake, urine and feces excretion, and activity levels, and the determination of metabolic rates (oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production). Up to 4 mice can be monitored at a time.
  • Metabolic Caging (manual Nalgene) for optimal urine collection.   (Mice only, up to 4 at one time)
  • Non-invasive blood pressure monitor with the tail cuff method (Columbus Instruments) for the measurement of systolic and diastolic blood pressures, as well as heart rate in up to 4 mice or 4 rats at a time.
  • Body composition determination via DEXA  (Mice only)

  In vitro services:

  • Isolation of fat cells and muscles
  • Measurement of glucose uptake into isolated fat cells and muscles
  • Fat pad histology and determination of fat cell size

Additional services will be established. These may include clamp studies, metabolic caging for up to 4 rats or 4 more mice and monitoring of skeletal muscle blood flow by ultrasound. MRI analysis will be coordinated with the Small Animal Imaging facility (SAMMIC) directed by Dr. Stuart Berr.

To request service, please fill out the order form linked here and return by e-mail as an attachment to Hongxia Chao at hc2p@virginia.edu.

Questions or concerns about the Physiology Laboratory can be directed to the Core Technician, Hongxia Chao (hc2p@virginia.edu), 243-5910, or Core Director, Dr. Susanna Keller (srk4b@virginia.edu), 243-5780.

Assay Laboratory

Laboratory Specialist: Toni Barbera (924-1176)
Location:  Room 1255, Aurbach Research Building,
               Fontaine Research Park, 450 Ray C. Hunt Drive

The Assay Laboratory conducts routine assays to determine circulating hormones and metabolites as well as intracellular signaling molecules. In addition, the Assay Laboratory will provide DERC members access to specialized equipment and advice on evaluating hormone action at the cellular level.

Assay Services provided by the Laboratory:

  • Currently established: Insulin (human,rat and mouse), C-peptide (human), glucagon, cAMP and cGMP, hemoglobin A1c, glucose
  • To be established: Free fatty acids
  • Others upon request and demand.

Access to Specialized Equipment through the Assay Laboratory:

  • Molecular Dynamics Typhoon (ground floor, Aurbach Medical Research Building)
    • Equipped with scanning lasers for two dimensional detection of beta- and gamma-emitting radioactive materials (e.g. 32P and 125I) fluorescent chromophores and light-emitting particles
    • Applications:
      • Scanning of protein and DNA gels, labeled peptides or amino acids on thin layer chromatography plates
      • Quantitation of the signals through ImageQuant software PC connected to the network for easy file transfer
  • HPLC System (Aurbach room 1255)
    • Beckman HPLC instrument connected to a System Gold operating system unit
  • ELISA Equipment (Aurbach room 1255)
    • a Flo Instrument microtiter plate washer and a Titertek plate reader.
  • Radioisotope Counters (Aurbach room 1255)
    • LKB four-channel gamma-counter and a liquid scintillation counter.

Other Services offered by the Assay Laboratory:

  • Advice on standard techniques for analysis of insulin signaling at the cellular level
  • Development of new techniques

Questions or concerns about the Assay Laboratory can be directed to the Core Technician, Toni Barbera, (tgb3k@Virginia.EDU), 924-1176, or Core Director, Dr. Susanna Keller (srk4b@virginia.edu), 243-5780.