Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 17, 2026

Determining Basal Energy Expenditure and the Capacity of Thermogenic Adipocytes to Expend Energy in Obese Mice
Published on: November 11, 2021
Below thermoneutrality, changes in activity do not drive changes in total daily energy expenditure between groups of
Sam Virtue1, Patrick Even, Antonio Vidal-Puig
1University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories, Institute of Metabolic Science, Level 4, Box 289, Addenbrooke's Treatment Centre, Addenbrooke's Hospital, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0QQ, UK. sv234@medschl.cam.ac.uk
Abstract:
In this study we investigated the relationship between activity and energy expenditure (EE) in mice. By determining the relationship between activity and EE over a 24 hr period in an individual mouse, activity was calculated to account for 26.6% ± 1.1% of total EE at 30°C. However, when comparing across multiple mice, only 9.53% ± 1.1% of EE from activity appeared to be independent of other components involved in the thermogenic response, suggesting other metabolic processes may mask the contribution of activity to EE. In line with this concept, below thermoneutrality mice still expended a substantial amount of energy on activity; however, at 24°C, 20°C, or 5°C, no independent effect of EE from activity on total daily EE could be detected. Overall these results suggest that when studying mice at temperatures below thermoneutrality, activity is unlikely to explain differences in EE between groups of animals.
Related Concept Videos
Mechanism of heat transfer
Body Temperature
Body Temperature
The average body temperature is approximately 37°C (98.6°F) and typically ranges from 36.1–37.2°C (97–99°F), remaining relatively stable...
Metabolic Rate
The Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) measures the energy expended at rest.
Several factors influence the...
Thermoregulation
Factors Affecting Body Temperature
Factors may include:

