Protocol for in vivo assessment of glucose metabolism in mouse models

Metabolic disturbances are common in motor neuron disease (MND), and elucidating their mechanisms may reveal therapies. Here, we present a protocol to assess glucose homeostasis in mice, including glucose tolerance, insulin tolerance, and glucagon challenge tests. We describe steps for fasting, intraperitoneal injections, and serial blood glucose measurements. The protocol also includes plasma collection for catecholamine analysis using matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging and immunofluorescence of pancreatic hormones, enabling comprehensive metabolic profiling in aged and neurodegenerative mouse models. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to McDonald et al.¹ and McDonald et al.².