Rodent Metabolic Treadmill

Description

Specifications

Introduction

The Rodent Metabolic Treadmill is a single-lane treadmill used for the metabolic measurements of rodents. It consists of a textured running belt enclosed within a chamber constructed of acrylic and aluminum. The chamber also includes a shock grid, which serves as an aversive stimulus to motivate exercise. It is available in two sizes, smaller size for mice and a larger size for rats.

The Rodent Metabolic Treadmill utilizes a forced training model in which rodents are removed from their home cages and forced to run on the treadmill. This allows measurements of the rodents’ speed, distance, and endurance in acute and chronic stress training conditions, which can be used for metabolic and cardiovascular research. Rodents can be tasked to perform moderate or high-intensity training by adjusting the speed, duration, and inclination of the treadmill according to the experiment’s need. The treadmill’s speed can be adjusted between 0 to 80 meters per minute with acceleration increments of 0.1 meters/minute. Moreover, the incline of the runway can be set between 0 to 25 degrees.

The Rodent Metabolic Treadmill can be used as a model to assess exercise behaviors in humans, including activity level, VO2max, and exercise endurance. These parameters can be used to examine regulatory processes associated with exercise. Studies have utilized rodent treadmill running to assess cardiomyopathy, in which treadmill running improved oxidative parameters in rodents with cardiomyopathy (Kim & Hwang, 2015). Moreover, the effects of treadmill exercise were also investigated in studies to assess oxidative damage in the hippocampus, in which facilitated cognitive improvement (Cechetti et al., 2012).

The Motorized Running Wheel and the Positioning Running Wheel are apparatuses also used for exercise training. Other apparatuses that are used for the assessment of motor and locomotion functions include the Rotarod, the Grid Test, the Gait Test, and the Parallel Rod Test. (For more motor assessment apparatuses click here.)

Features

Motor

Independent Lane Control: Each lane can counted separately.

Ultra Quiet: Noise is less than 40 db

Speed: 0-80 meters per minute

Acceleration: Adjustable acceleration in 0.1 meter/minute increments

Slope: 0 to 25 degrees

Single Belt texture facilitates animal grip

Single-phase power system

Shock

A shock grid can be optionally inserted and can be controlled with our conductor software.

Shock intensity is adjustable and can be correlated to LED lamp to allow mice and rats to learn when the shock grid is active.

Design of shock grid carefully designed to avoid injuries to animals.

The grid can be removed for easy cleaning

163V, adjustable.

Adjustable, 1Hz, 2Hz, or 3Hz repetition rate

0 – 4mA adjustable in 0.1mA units

Metabollc parameters

O₂ and CO₂ consumption per unit time, accuracy 1ml

Respiratory entropy (RQ), respiratory exchange rate (RER)

Energy consumption

Metabolic rate (MR)

Temperature, accuracy 0.1℃; humidity accuracy ±1% RH; air pressure, accuracy 0.075%

Software

Display distance traveled

Display shock on/off

Manually start / stop switch of electrical stimulus system per lane

Manually start / stop of treadmill per lane

Manually adjust the slope

Construction

Tough Aluminum alloy frame

Clear acrylic walls

Slope degree of ±35°

Metabolic measurement system

A small portable unit, solid case with handle, with maximum portability can be used on-site under various complex field environmental conditions.

New control unit with integrated touchscreen GUI that simultaneously displays oxygen, carbon dioxide, water vapor pressure, atmospheric pressure, humidity in real-time.

Pump flow 1-1000 ml per minute, adjustable

Operating temperature 5-40°C, storage -20-60°C

Operating humidity 0-95%

Lithium-ion rechargeable battery pack (24v10AH) can be used in field experiments for at least 8 hours.

Store a large data set and easy to export data with USB drive. Import to CSV. file.

Can run experiments online or offline. The offline data can be exported to software on PC for further analysis,

Fully integrated with Maze Engineers Metabolic Treadmill.

Applicable to mice and rats

Additional Accessories

Air Puff

Air puff accessory for aversive stimuli also available upon request

Harness

A treadmill harness frame for motor testing and additional support is available upon request

See our citation list

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Origin

The earliest use of treadmills can be traced back to the first century AD, when their typical use was for harnessing the power in systems like mills and manipulating heavy objects. The early design usually involved a wheel similar to something like the Rotarod or the Running Wheel which are often used in rodent-based motor function studies. Over the years the treadmill evolved to the modern-day horizontal runway. Initially, animals were used to drive treadmill-powered machinery. Eventually, with the growth of animal-based research, treadmills gained popularity as an exercise system.

Circular treadmills were often used for exercise treatments. These treadmills utilized a circular path whose belt speed could be varied as required. A study by Thompson and Stevenson (1965) based on this circular design investigated the temperature response of male Sprague-Dawley rats to different rates of exercise and the effects of anterior hypothalamic lesions. The investigation was able to observe the coping ability of the rats to the heat generated during the range of exercise.

Eventually, a treadmill design for small laboratory animals was described by Andrews (1965) that allowed the experimenter to change the speed of the runway between 13 to 70 ft/min and inclination between 0 to 16°. Unlike the previous circular design, Andrews’ treadmill made use of a horizontal plane that could be divided into individual lanes. The individual lanes provided the opportunity to train multiple animals at fixed training parameters such as speed and inclination.

Apparatus & Equipment

The metabolic treadmill apparatus is constructed using aluminum and acrylic and is enclosed for effective metabolic data collection. Measurable parameters include O₂ and CO₂ consumption per unit time, respiratory entropy (RQ), respiratory exchange rate (RER), metabolic rate, and energy consumption. It is available as a single-lane system. The runway is made of a textured belt that facilitates animal grip. The speed of the lane can be varied between 0 to 80 meters per minute with acceleration increments of 0.1 meters/minute. The runway incline can be varied between 0 to 25 degrees. Each lane is equipped with a removable 12 x 6 cm shock grid that allows 0 to 4 mA electric shocks (adjustable in 0.1mA) and repetition rates of 1Hz, 2Hz, or 3Hz. An LED accompanies the shock grid to allow the subject to know when the shock grid is ON or OFF. Additionally, air puffs can also be added to the apparatus as an aversive stimulus. The treadmill comes with associated software to control different variables of the apparatus.

Training Protocol

Clean the treadmill apparatus before and after use with each subject to prevent any lingering stimuli from influencing the subject performance. Ensure that the apparatus is appropriately lit, and the task is performed in an undisturbed environment to minimize the influence of any external stimuli on the performance. Tracking and recording of the performances can be done with the assistance of an external tracking and video system such as the Noldus EthoVision XT or ANY-Maze.

Clean the treadmill with 70% ethanol solution, and wipe and air dry it before every session.

The following is a sample protocol to assess exercise endurance in rodents:

Allow the subject to acclimate to the treadmill by allowing it to sit on it for 3 minutes. After 3 minutes have elapsed, set the treadmill’s speed at 16 m/min. Increase the speed by 4 m/min every 3 minutes until a maximum speed of 40 m/min is reached. If the subject is still running at the maximum speed, increase the speed by 5% every 3 minutes. End the task when the subject sits on the shock grid for 5 seconds or 36 minutes, 40 m/min, and 15% grade have elapsed.

The following is a sample protocol to examine the effects of exercise on a high-fat diet using the Rodent Metabolic Treadmill:

Divide the subjects into runner and sedentary groups and feed both groups a high-fat diet.

Subject the runner group to 30 minutes of treadmill running at a speed of 5 m/min and an inclination of 10% for 30 minutes a day, five times a week for 26 weeks. Subject the sedentary group to running only during exercise exhaustion tests. Conduct exhaustion tests with the treadmill inclined 25% uphill. Place the subject on the treadmill and allow it to run for 14 m/min for 6 minutes. Increase the speed by 2 m/min every 2 min until the subject is exhausted, characterized by the inability to return to running within 10 seconds after contact with the shock grid. Conduct exhaustion tests only at weeks 0 and 25 of the study.

Strengths and Limitations

Strengths

The Rodent Metabolic Treadmill is used as a force-training model of exercise, which is used to analyze rodents’ endurance. It is equipped with a running belt that is textured, which helps facilitate the rodent’s grip while running. In addition, parameters such as speed, inclination, and running duration can be set on the treadmill according to experimental needs. The speed can be adjusted between 1-100 meters/minute with adjustable acceleration in 0.1 meter/minute increments, and the incline of the runway can be set between 0 to 25 degrees. The treadmill chamber also includes a shock grid as an aversive stimulus to motivate the rodents to run. The shock grid’s current can also be adjusted between 0.005 – 4 mA/. The Rodent Metabolic Treadmill can be used in studies that investigate the effect of exercise on various components, including oxidative stress, diet, anxiety, and sleep deprivation. The treadmill is available in two sizes, allowing experimenters to choose a model that fits the rodent they’re studying.

Limitations

In studies involving pregnant rodents, the shock grid should not be used since it may be too aversive. Instead, tail touching should be used to motivate pregnant rodents to run. The same rodent strain and age should be utilized for reproducible studies since it can affect experimental results. Moreover, differences in the running speed, inclination/declination of the treadmill, and duration of running between experiments can also affect results. Therefore, all parameters should be considered closely to create a consistent animal model using the Rodent Metabolic Treadmill.

Data Analysis

The treadmill apparatus is used for forced exercise training in rodents. It can also be used to compare performance differences between subjects of different strains, ages, and sexes. Effects of diseases and disorders on the physical activity capacity and the subject’s motor and locomotion capabilities can also be evaluated in the treadmill apparatuses. Further, the effects of pharmacological manipulations, lesions and other investigatory treatments such as stress, on the treadmill performances can also be assessed.

The following observations can be made using the treadmill apparatus:

Running time
Distance traveled
Maximum speed reached
Number of aversive stimulations
Average position on the runway
Time to fatigue/exhaustion

The following observations can be made using the metabolic measurement system:

O₂ and CO₂ consumption per unit time, accuracy 1ml
Respiratory entropy (RQ), respiratory exchange rate (RER)
Energy consumption
Metabolic rate (MR)
Temperature, accuracy 0.1℃; humidity accuracy ±1% RH; air pressure, accuracy 0.075%

Marcaletti et al., (2011) recommend a group size of 10 to 12 animals to enable sufficient statistical power.

Summary

The Rodent Metabolic Treadmill is a single-lane treadmill used for the metabolic measurements of rodents.
It consists of a textured running belt with a shock grid enclosed within a chamber constructed of acrylic and aluminum.
It is available in two sizes, smaller size for mice and a larger size for rats.
The Rodent Metabolic Treadmill utilizes a forced training model to measure rodents’ speed, distance, and endurance.
The speed and inclination of the running belt can be set according to experimental needs, allowing the performance of moderate or high-intensity training.
The Rodent Metabolic Treadmill can be used as a model to assess exercise behaviors in humans, including activity level, VO2max, and exercise endurance, which can be used to examine regulatory processes associated with exercise. Moreover, it can be used to assess the effect of exercise on anxiety-like behaviors, oxidative stress, and high-fat diet-induced hypothalamic inflammation.

Additional information

Weight	50 kg
Dimensions	80 × 75 × 45 cm
Device Type	1 lane
Size	Mouse, Rat

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