Organ and tissue weight presentation in rat populations

Multiple ways of reporting organ weights are sources of confusion in literature. This study was designed to determine if there is a linear relationship between body weights and selected organ and tissue weights in groups of rats after different liquid feeding options. A randomized 2 x 2 x 2 factorial, randomized block design was used with 40 postpubescent male rats with two levels of feeding schedules, kilocalorie levels, and fiber contents. In addition to a skeletal muscle, 13 abdominal and thoracic organs or tissues were weighed. Pearson product-moment correlation coefficients and regression analyses were completed to determine the relationship between these weights and the final body weights. Findings support the need to use different approaches in order to accurately report various organ and tissue weights.