Nc. Stickland et al., INABILITY OF MUSCLES IN THE OBESE MOUSE (OB OB) TO RESPOND TO CHANGESIN BODY-WEIGHT AND ACTIVITY/, Journal of Anatomy, 184, 1994, pp. 527-533
The fat-free carcass weight of the obese mouse (ob/ob) is generally le
ss than that of wild-type siblings. The aim of this investigation was
to examine the effect of obesity on muscle weights and histochemistry
and to determine whether any effects could be eliminated when the obes
ity was largely prevented or reduced by limiting food intake. For 5 mu
scles examined the weights were significantly greater (except for bice
ps brachii) in the wild-type than in obese mice. Although there was a
significant correlation between muscle weight (except for soleus) and
body weight in the wild-type mice, no such correlation held for the ob
ese mice. No remarkable differences between groups of mice were found
in the histochemistry of the biceps brachii and soleus muscles except
that fibre sizes were generally smaller in the obese mice. It is concl
uded that the skeletal muscles of obese mice cannot respond to the inc
reased activity associated with prevented or reduced obesity.