HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: 105/2/711    most recent 00949.2007v1 Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in Web of Science Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Reynolds, J. S. Articles by Frazer, D. G. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Reynolds, J. S. Articles by Frazer, D. G.

INNOVATIVE METHODOLOGY

Unrestrained acoustic plethysmograph for measuring specific airway resistance in mice

¹Pathology and Physiology Research Branch and ²Toxicology and Molecular Biology Research Branch, Health Effects Laboratory Division, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, Morgantown, West Virginia

Submitted 6 September 2007 ; accepted in final form 25 April 2008

An acoustic whole body plethysmograph was developed to estimate specific airway resistance (sRaw) in unrestrained mice. The plethysmograph uses acoustic principles to measure the thoracic breathing pattern and simultaneously measures the airflow entering and/or leaving the plethysmograph. Similarly to traditional methods utilizing a double-chamber plethysmograph, these measurements were combined to estimate sRaw. To evaluate the new system, we placed six conscious A/J mice individually in a whole body plethysmograph (Buxco System) for a 2-min exposure to aerosolized methacholine chloride dissolved in saline (0, 5, 10, and 20 mg/ml), which is known to increase sRaw in mice. Three minutes after exposure, the mice were transferred to the acoustic plethysmograph for 2 min for data collection. The mean baseline value of sRaw was 0.93 ± 0.10 cmH₂O·s. A dose-dependent increase in sRaw was shown, with an approximate tripling of sRaw at the highest dose. These results demonstrate the ability of the system to estimate sRaw based on plethysmograph airflow and acoustic amplitude.

Helmholtz resonator; unrestrained plethysmograph; whole body plethysmograph

This article has been cited by other articles:

				W. Mitzner Why can't mice just learn to pant? J Appl Physiol, August 1, 2008; 105(2): 402 - 402. [Full Text] [PDF]