Oxymax-CLAMS
Why CLAMS?
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Extensive Scientific Validation
- Publication Record: The CLAMS and Oxymax systems are cited in more than 5,000 published scientific papers, more than all of their competitors combined.
- Industry Pioneer: Columbus Instruments developed the first commercially available indirect calorimeter in 1985, and the system is currently in its fifth generation.
High-Precision Hardware & Sensing
- Advanced Gas Analyzers: Researchers can choose from three oxygen sensors based on budget and precision needs.
- Ultra-Fast Scanning: The Zirconia sensor scans each cage in 20 seconds for high-throughput studies.
- Superior Drift Control: NDIR sensors minimize drift, reducing the need for recalibration.
- Sample Drying: Precise sample drying ensures accuracy from 30°C down to 4°C.
Integrated Home Cage Design
- Minimal Stress: Continuous, non-invasive monitoring mimics standard cage conditions, reducing stress and yielding more reliable metabolic measurements.
- Simultaneous Multi-Parameter Assessment: Researchers can conveniently measure feeding, drinking, and physical activity on a single platform, saving time and improving data consistency.
Advanced Technical Innovations
CLAMS-Connect reduces the number of tubes and wires, simplifying setup and training.
- Telemetry: Wireless, battery-free implants monitor heart rate and core temperature.
- Isotopic & Methane Analysis: Optional analyzers enable isotopic or methane detection (δ13CO2), helping to reveal how substrates are metabolized and how gut microbiota function.
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Specialized Software Analysis
- CI-OxyMap: Categorizes energy expenditure into four categories: Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR), Thermic Effect of Food (TEF), Activity-Induced Energy Expenditure (AEE), and Adaptive Thermogenesis (AT).
- Real-Time Data: CI-Link provides real-time visualization of IICCC-compliant graphical data sets without pausing or interrupting the experiment.
Choose the Columbus Instruments CLAMS system that best aligns with your experimental goals and priorities.
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The system allows researchers to perform high-precision, non-invasive monitoring of:
- Metabolic Rate (Indirect Calorimetry): Measuring oxygen consumption (VO2) and carbon dioxide production (VCO2) to calculate the Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER) and total energy expenditure.
- Energy Balance: Tracking food and water intake in real-time to see how an animal’s diet impacts its metabolism.
- Behavioral Activity: Monitoring movement in three dimensions (X, Y, Z axes) using infrared beams to track sleep patterns, exercise, and general locomotor activity.
- Thermoregulation: Often integrated with telemetry to monitor core body temperature without handling the animal.
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Researchers use CLAMS data to study:
- Obesity & Diabetes: How certain drugs or diets affect fat oxidation and weight gain.
- Aging: Changes in metabolic efficiency over a lifespan.
- Circadian Rhythms: Shifts in activity and metabolic peaks between day and night cycles.
- Genetics: Identifying hidden phenotypes in transgenic mice that might look normal but have different metabolic needs.
Columbus Instruments CLAMS is the industry standard in metabolic and behavioral research, thanks to decades of pioneering innovation and unmatched peer-reviewed validation.
CLAMS-Connect (CN)
The next-generation Columbus Instruments CLAMS unites traditional measurements with tailored solutions for high-throughput data and infectious disease studies.
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Research Applications
A significant research upgrade for the CLAMS-Connect system.
- Biocontainment: P3 (Biosafety Level 3) biocontainment ratings.
- Metabolic Virus Impact: With no external gas tubes or wiring, it is ideal for virus impact studies, such as those on COVID-19 or Influenza. The entire rack is easier to decontaminate or place inside a specialized biocontainment hood.
Designed for efficiency, CLAMS-Connect enables core facilities to study dozens of animals at once, increasing throughput, reducing turnaround time, and advancing large-scale data collection.
- Increased Density: The compact design can increase cage capacity by up to 25%.
- Automated Data Processing: CI-OxyMap software automatically categorizes energy expenditure data:
- BMR (Basal Metabolic Rate)
- TEF (Thermic Effect of Food)
- AEE (Activity-Induced Energy Expenditure)
- AT (Adaptive Thermogenesis)
Because the system is tube-free, it is much easier to maintain the sterile integrity required for microbiome-free (gnotobiotic) mice.
- Reduced Human Error: Eliminating tubes reduces the risk of leaks and contamination.
Connect is optimized for studies with oxygen levels as low as 10%.
- Low Oxygen Levels: Studying how low oxygen levels impact metabolic rate and heart rate, which is common in research regarding pulmonary diseases, high-altitude adaptation, or sleep apnea.
Often paired with isotopic analyzers.
- Substrate Tracking: Researchers can distinguish metabolic fuels burned with >0.1% precision.
- Superior Setup and Efficiency
- Reduced Human Error
- Lower Training Barrier
- High-Throughput & Space Optimization
- Enhanced Mobility
- P3 Biocontainment & Safety
- Individual Micro-Environments
CLAMS-HomeCage (HC)
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The Columbus Instruments CLAMS-HomeCage is the most widely used system in metabolic research because it balances scientific precision with a high-welfare environment. Since it allows for standard bedding and familiar feeding, it is the primary choice for any study where natural, unstressed behavior is a key variable. Designed for long-term monitoring with minimal stress.
Research Applications
This is the most frequent use of CLAMS-HomeCage, typically used to characterize how a specific gene or drug affects energy balance over 48–72 hours.
- Obesity & Diabetes: Measuring if a mouse is metabolically flexible (switching between burning carbs and fat).
- Fatty Liver Disease & Cancer: Researching how metabolic dysfunction drives tumor growth or organ failure.
- Muscle Function: Quantifying the metabolic cost of standard movement in models of muscular dystrophy or atrophy.
Because the CLAMS-HomeCage supports long-term monitoring (days to weeks), it is ideal for studying the master clock.
- Day/Night Shifts: Tracking VO2 and activity peaks to see if a mutation disrupts the 24-hour cycle.
- Sleep-Wake Cycles: The system uses fine movement detection (XYZ beam breaks) to estimate sleep bouts without the need for invasive EEG/EMG surgery.
- Light Pollution: Researching how dim light at night impacts energy expenditure and glucose metabolism.
Longitudinal studies (tracking animals as they age) require a low-stress environment to avoid data skewing from chronic stress.
- Energy Balance in Aging: Monitoring how metabolic efficiency declines with age.
- Intermittent Fasting (IF): Using automated food access to study how time-restricted feeding affects lifespan and metabolic rate.
Researchers often place CLAMS-HOMECAGE units inside environmental enclosures (chambers that control temperature).
- Cold Challenge: Moving a mouse from 22°C to 4°C to measure adaptive thermogenesis (the ability to burn calories to stay warm).
- Thermoneutrality: Studying metabolism at 30°C (where mice don't have to work to stay warm) to see their true basal metabolic rate (BMR).
- Maternal Exercise: Studying how a mother's activity on a running wheel during pregnancy reprograms the offspring’s metabolism.
- Developmental Programming: Tracking the weight gain and energy expenditure of young mice after they are weaned to see how early-life nutrition impacts adult health.
CLAMS-CenterFeeder (CF)
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The benchmark for metabolic and nutritional research requires extreme precision in calorie tracking, particularly when using specialized diets that standard feeders cannot handle. Designed specifically for high-precision feeding studies, particularly with obese models (ob/ob mice).
Research Applications
- High-fat Diets: Often 60% fat, these diets are greasy and soft. In standard overhead feeders, they can crumble, bridge (get stuck), or be easily cached in bedding.
- Center-feeder Assembly: Designed to present powdered or paste-like diets on a spring-loaded plate, ensuring that even butter-heavy diets are precisely weighed and accounted for down to the milligram.
Look beyond how much an animal eats and focus on how they eat.
- Variables: Tracks the number of feeding bouts, duration of meals, and the latency to feed after a stimulus.
- Satiety Hormones: Studies the effects of Leptin, Ghrelin, and/or the neurobiology of binge eating. Because the feeder is a centralized station, it provides cleaner event-driven data than an overhead hopper.
When drugs are administered via food, the dosage must be exact to be valid.
- Drug Administration: If a drug is mixed into a powdered diet, the CLAMS-CenterFeeder ensures that any spillage (food dropped but not eaten) is subtracted from the total.
- Calculate Exact Dosages: Researchers can calculate the exact mg/kg dose the animal actually ingested, which is critical for toxicology or drug efficacy trials.
- Yoked Feeding: In studies where an experimental group must be matched to a control group’s intake.
- Automated Access: CLAMS-CenterFeeder systems can include an Automated Food Access Control to program the system to close the feeder after the animal has consumed a specific number of kilocalories or after a certain time window (e.g., Time-Restricted Feeding).
- Temperature Control: Often paired with temperature-controlled incubators to study cold-induced Thermogenesis.
- Accurate Energy Data: In the cold, mice must eat significantly more to maintain body temperature. The CLAMS-CenterFeeder model provides the most accurate energy-in vs. energy-out balance by matching precise fuel intake to the heat produced (VO2).
Its unmatched precision in measuring food intake, particularly when using powdered or high-fat diets that are notorious for causing spillage and data errors in standard systems.
CLAMS-WasteCage (WC)
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For research that requires quantifying and analyzing energy output (metabolic rate) matched with physical waste output. Best for shorter, more focused experimental periods. The unique mechanical design ensures that waste collection does not interfere with metabolic data collection.
Research Applications
Researchers measure urine and feces to determine if an animal is in a positive or negative nitrogen state, which is critical for studying protein metabolism and muscle-wasting diseases.
Collecting pure, uncontaminated urine and feces allows scientists to track, in real time, how a drug or toxin is metabolized and excreted by the body.
By preserving and weighing feces as they are voided, researchers can study how different diets or genetic modifications change the gut output and nutrient absorption efficiency.
The system is used to study disorders such as diabetes insipidus and the effects of diuretic drugs by tracking the volume and frequency of urination events.
Gravity separates cage waste into collection vials for further lab analysis.
Key Features
Gas Sensing & Resolution
Built on high-resolution respiratory technology, offering the following sensor specifications:
- Data Acquisition Rate: Captures O2 and CO2 data at 10Hz for ultra-fast response times.
- Oxygen (O2) Sensors: Three options are available:
- Zirconia: Fastest scan rate (20 seconds per cage); ideal for high-throughput.
- Paramagnetic: Highest precision and ultra-low maintenance.
- Electrochemical: Budget-friendly option.
- Carbon Dioxide (CO2) Sensor: Non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) with 0.01 PPM resolution and virtually zero drift.
- Standard Ranges: CO2 (0% – 0.9%); O2 (19.3% – 21.5%). Optional expanded ranges (0-100%) and additional sensors (CH4, H2, H2S, CO) are available.
- Sample Drying: Integrated drying from 30°C down to 4°C to prevent humidity-related data skew.
Behavioral & Activity Monitoring
The cage monitoring system tracks animal behavior via integrated infrared beams:
- Sensing Axes: 3-dimensional tracking (X, Y, Z).
- Beam Spacing: Available in 0.5" (1.27 cm) or 1" (2.54 cm) intervals.
- Scan Rate: 160 Hz for high-resolution locomotor data.
- Mass Resolution: High-precision scales detect feeding/drinking events down to 1 mg.
Integrated Telemetry (G2 Emitters)
The CLAMS-Connect features a specialized floor-antenna system for battery-less monitoring:
- Sensors: Core body temperature and heart rate.
- Technology: Wireless, battery-less implants (1.1g to 1.5g) powered by a custom antenna located <2mm beneath the cage floor.
- Warranty/Lifespan: 2-year warranty with no battery replacement required.
Hardware Design & Physical Dimensions
The metabolic cage housing system is designed for high-density lab environments:
- Architecture: Wire and Tube-Free design for increased mobility and reduced human error during setup.
- Cage Density: Compact footprint allows 25% more cages per rack or incubator than legacy models.
- Environmental Monitoring: Every individual cage includes integrated sensors for Temperature, Humidity, and Pressure.
- Biocontainment: Rated for P3 (Biosafety Level 3), making it suitable for infectious disease research.
- Dimensions (Standard Components):
- Sample Pump & Sensors: 13" x 11.5" x 12" (33 x 29 x 30 cm); Weight: 20 lbs.
- Controller: 17" x 17" x 7" (43 x 43 x 18 cm); Weight: 40 lbs.
Software & Compliance
- Software Platform: CI-Link equipped with CI-OxyMap.
- Features: Real-time data viewing, IICCC-compliant data sets, and automated energy partitioning (BMR, TEF, AEE, AT).
- Connectivity: Wireless data transfer from cages to the central receiver.
Physical Dimensions & Capacity
The system is adaptable to standard IVC (Individually Ventilated Cage) cage types, ensuring animals remain in a familiar environment.
- Mouse Cage Dimensions (Livable Area): 7" (17.75 cm) diameter; 5.625" (14.25 cm) ceiling height.
- Overall Footprint (with base/stand): 15" W x 11" D x 23" H (38 x 28 x 58.4 cm).
- System Capacity: Expandable from 1 to 32 subjects simultaneously.
- Subject Weight Range: 10g to 70g (standard configuration).
Metabolic Sensing (Indirect Calorimetry)
The core of the rodent calorimetry system is the Oxymax gas analyzer, which supports three oxygen sensor technologies:
Ultra-fast (20s per cage)
High-throughput systems
High precision, ultra-low maintenance
Small-to-medium systems
Budget-friendly, high accuracy
Smaller, continuous sampling
- CO2 Sensing: Uses NDIR (Non-Dispersive Infrared) to eliminate drift.
- Resolution: Up to 0.01 PPM CO2 and 0.003 PPM O2.
- Sample Rate: Internal capture rate of 10 Hz.
- Drift Control: Automated fresh-air reference checks via mass flow control.
Behavioral & Physical Activity
The CLAMS-HomeCage acts as a comprehensive cage monitoring system by tracking movement across all three planes:
- XYZ Beam Spacing: 0.5" (1.27 cm) or 1" (2.54 cm).
- Scan Rate: 160 Hz.
- Activity Types: Distinguishes between Ambulatory (exploring), Fine (grooming), and Rearing (Z-axis).
- Running Wheel (Add-on Feature): Supports free-spinning wheels for spontaneous exercise tracking (limited to mice <35g).
Food & Water Monitoring
- Feeding: Uses an overhead pellet feeder with a spillage catchment.
- Drinking: Options include a mass-based (load cell) or a Volumetric Drinking Monitor (VDM), which uses a dosing pump to measure precise microliters consumed.
- Mass Resolution: 1 mg
- Access Control: Optional servomotor-powered doors to restrict food based on time or mass (Pair/Yoked feeding).
Advanced Integrated Features
- Telemetry: Wireless, battery-less G2 Emitters for core body temperature and heart rate.
- Sample Drying: Integrated drying of gas samples from 30°C down to 4°C to ensure humidity does not skew O2 readings.
- Environmental Control: Often housed in cabinets with programmable light cycles and temperatures from 4°C to 40°C.
- Measurement Resolutions & Precision
- Mass Resolution: 1 mg (for food and water intake).
- CO₂ Resolution: 0.01 PPM.
- O₂ Resolution: 0.003 PPM.
- Food Intake Accuracy: Typically maintained at 99%+ due to the specialized "fur-fluffing" tunnel and spill catchment design.
Physical Cage Dimensions
The CLAMS-CenterFeeder model features a unique circular cage design that accommodates the central feeding station.
- Mouse Cage:
- Livable Area: 7.0” (17.75 cm) Diameter x 5.625” (14.25 cm) Height.
- Overall Size (with stand): 15” W x 11” D x 23” H (38 x 28 x 58 cm).
- Rat Cage:
- Livable Area: 8.0” (20.3 cm) Diameter x 5.125” (13.0 cm) Height.
- Overall Size (with stand): 16” W x 11” D x 23” H (41 x 28 x 69 cm).
Gas Sensor Specifications (Oxymax Component)
The CLAMS-CenterFeeder integrates with Columbus Instruments' Oxymax gas analyzers, which offer the following ranges:
- O₂ Sensors: 19-21% or 0-100% (Available in Zirconia, Paramagnetic, or Electrochemical).
- CO₂ Sensors: Ranges from 0-2000 ppm up to 0-100% (non-dispersive infrared).
- Scan Rate: 20 seconds per cage (when equipped with Zirconia sensors).
- Sample Drying: Dependable drying from 30°C down to 4°C to ensure stable gas readings regardless of humidity.
Feeder Assembly & Design Features
- Center Feeder Assembly: A floor-level station that presents food from a spring-loaded plate to keep the diet surface at a constant level.
- Specialized Tunnel: Includes "ribs" that brush the animal’s fur as it exits the feeder to shake off loose crumbs, ensuring they fall into the collection cup rather than the bedding.
- Automated Food Access (Add-on Feature): Servomotor-powered doors can be programmed to restrict access based on Time, Mass Consumed, Energy Value (calories), or Yoked/Pair Feeding.
- Materials: Manufactured from mixed materials (anodized aluminum and medical-grade plastics). Note: These components are not machine-washable and should be hand-wiped with mild soap or 10% bleach.
Integration Capabilities
- Telemetry: Compatible with battery-less G2 Emitters for 24/7 core body temperature and heart rate monitoring.
- Activity: 3-axis (X, Y, Z) infrared photo-beam array for locomotor and fine-movement tracking.
- Environmental Control: Can be placed inside Environmental Enclosures (e.g., ENC77, ENC52) for temperature and light cycle regulation.
Physical Dimensions
The cage is designed to be restrictive enough for accurate waste collection while providing a comfortable, livable area for the subject.
- Mouse Cage Dimensions:
- Livable Area: 7 in (17.75 cm) diameter, 5.625 in (14.25 cm) ceiling height.
- Overall Size (with base/stand): 15" W x 11" D x 23" H (38 cm x 28 cm x 58.4 cm).
- Rat Cage Dimensions:
- Livable Area: 8 in (20.3 cm) diameter, 5.125 in (13 cm) ceiling height.
- Overall Size (with base/stand): 16" W x 11" D x 23" H (40.6 cm x 28 cm x 68.6 cm).
Waste Collection & Separation
The defining feature of the CLAMS-WasteCage is its mechanical separation and measurement hardware.
- Separation Funnel: A uniquely shaped funnel beneath a wire mesh floor uses gravity to guide waste. A separator at the bottom ensures urine and feces are directed into distinct collection vials.
- Load Cell Precision: The collection vials sit on high-precision load cells with an accuracy of +/- 0.005g and a resolution of 0.001g.
- Automated Scoring: The software records time-stamped voiding events in the data file whenever the weight in a vial increases.
- UroFlow Analysis: Data can be streamed at 10Hz to reconstruct the exact flow and volume of urine over time.
Feeding & Drinking Hardware
To prevent cross-contamination of waste samples (e.g., food crumbs falling into the urine funnel), the CLAMS-WasteCage uses specific delivery methods:
- Tunnel Feeder: The most restrictive feeder design. The animal must crawl through a narrow tunnel to access powdered food. This tunnel includes internal ribs that brush against the animal's fur, knocking off loose crumbs before it exits back into the waste collection area.
- Volumetric Drinking Monitor (VDM): Instead of a gravity-fed sipper, the WC often uses a patented VDM system. It utilizes a small dosing pump and a water-level detection circuit to deliver water only when the animal drinks, preventing leaks that would ruin urine data.
Metabolic & Behavioral Sensors
Despite its focus on waste, the CLAMS-WasteCage maintains full calorimetry and activity tracking capabilities:
- Indirect Calorimetry: Measures VO2 and VCO2 via Zirconia, Paramagnetic, or Electrochemical sensors.
- Activity Monitoring: Standard infrared beam arrays track movement along the X and Y axes.
- Sample Drying: Integrated sample drying (from 30°C to 4°C) prevents urine humidity from interfering with gas concentration readings.
Optional Upgrades
- Urine Freezing Option: A chilled or frozen plate can be added to the collection area to immediately preserve urine samples for sensitive biomarker analysis.
- Telemetry Integration: Compatible with G2 battery-less implants for monitoring core body temperature and heart rate.
Maintenance Information
Daily Checks
- Animal Monitoring: Visually inspect animals twice daily (morning and afternoon) to ensure they are acclimating properly.
- System Health: Monitor real-time RER readouts; values below 0.7 or above 1.3 may indicate cage lid leaks or gas line issues.
- Supplies: Check that food hoppers and water sippers are filled and not blocked.
- Software Warnings: Regularly review the Oxymax software warning log for any hardware or status errors.
Consumables & Hardware
- Drierite (Desiccant): Replace desiccant columns when approximately 2/3 of the column has been consumed (indicated by a color change from blue to pink).
- Ammonia Filters: Monitor and replace ammonia traps according to usage levels.
- Particle Filters: Monitor and replace them based on usage levels.
- Water Lines: Flush water lines and rinse thoroughly with de-ionized water after each study.
Long-term Maintenance
- Nafion Tube: The nafion tube should be replaced approximately every 3 years to ensure proper humidity levels.
- Soda Lime: Check and replace as needed to ensure effective CO2 removal for sensor zeroing.
- Mass Flow Controllers: Recalibration or replacement may be needed if flow readings drift, and they are recommended for service every five years.
Calibration & Validation
- Gas Sensors: Perform a two-point calibration at the start of every experiment. If an experiment lasts longer than seven days, recalibrate every seven days.
- Leak Checks: Conduct regular leak checks on reference air and animal cage driers using the built-in Oxymax Sample Pump Diagnostic tool.
- Annual Maintenance: Schedule an annual professional preventive maintenance visit from Columbus Instruments and for system level calibration.
Cleaning & Care
- Cage Components: Wash and disinfect cage lids, bottoms, and food hoppers immediately following animal removal.
- Handling: Inspect lids and cage bottoms for cracks daily, as even minor damage can skew metabolic data.
- Tubing Seals: If a connection appears loose, trim 1 cm from the end of the tubing with a sharp knife to restore a proper seal; avoid over-tightening fittings.
Gas Sensor & Calibration Maintenance
- Drift Prevention: High-precision NDIR sensors virtually eliminate drift, but regular automated fresh-air reference checks are required to maintain accuracy.
- Recalibration Frequency: While the metabolic monitoring system is built for stability, periodic two-point calibrations using certified gases (e.g., 20.50% O2 and 0.50% CO2) are recommended to ensure the rodent calorimetry system remains within specification.
- Sensor Lifespan: Electrochemical oxygen sensors are consumable parts that require more frequent replacement than Zirconia or Paramagnetic options.
Consumable Management
- Drierite (Desiccant): This must be monitored to ensure it remains blue; once it turns pink, it is exhausted and will allow moisture to interfere with mouse indirect calorimetry readings.
- Soda Lime (CO2 Scrubbing): This should be white; if it turns purple or brown, it must be replaced to prevent CO2 buildup from skewing the metabolic phenotyping system data.
- Sample Drying: Ensure the integrated sample drying system is chilling correctly (typically down to 4°C) to remove humidity before gas enters the metabolism and behavior lab equipment.
Physical Cage & Feeding Maintenance
- Cleaning: Because the metabolic cage housing system uses standard IVC cages, they should be sanitized regularly to maintain animal welfare and remove any debris that could block infrared beams.
- Activity Beams: Periodically wipe the infrared beam arrays on the X, Y, and Z axes to ensure the cage monitoring system accurately tracks locomotor activity and sleep patterns.
- Feeder Inspection: For the overhead pellet feeder, check for bridging or stuck pellets to ensure the home cage monitoring system continues to record feeding events uninterrupted.
System Integrity Checks
- Leak Testing: Periodically inspect lid seals and gas line connections, as even minor leaks in the mouse metabolic cage system can cause the RER to fall out of the valid biological range.
- Pump Flow Rates: Verify that the lab animal monitoring system pump is maintaining the flow rate used during calibration to prevent measurement errors.
Daily Mechanical Checks
- Food Level Monitoring: Ensure the spring-loaded plate in the central feeder is moving freely; if it sticks, the animal cannot access the food, which will skew the mouse's indirect calorimetry data.
- Scale Zeroing: Ensure the spill cup beneath the feeder is not touching the cage floor or bedding, as this can prevent the load cell from accurately tracking consumption in the metabolic phenotyping cage.
- Tunnel Inspection: Quickly inspect the entry tunnel for any bedding that might have been pushed in, which could interfere with the animal's path to the food.
Post-Run Cleaning
The most important part of the metabolic and behavioral cages maintenance is cleaning the exit tunnel.
- Rib Cleaning: Use a small brush to remove fine powder particles from the specialized internal ribs. These ribs are designed to shake loose crumbs off the animal's fur; if they become clogged with grease or old food, they lose their effectiveness.
- Spill Cup Sanitization: The secondary outer hopper (the spill cup) must be thoroughly cleaned after every run to remove any oily residue from high-fat diets used in the mouse metabolic phenotyping system.
Load Cell & Scale Calibration
- Mass Calibration: At the start of every new study, use a certified calibration weight to span the food and water scales. The rodent calorimetry system software guides you through this process to ensure the scales are reading down to the milligram.
- Water System Flush: If your mouse metabolic system uses the Volumetric Drinking Monitor (VDM), flush the lines with a mild sanitizing solution followed by distilled water to prevent algae or mineral buildup in the sensors.
Gas Path Maintenance
- Desiccant Check: Inspect the Drierite (blue) and Soda Lime (white) in the gas sampling path. If the Drierite has turned pink, moisture is reaching your sensors, which will cause drift in your metabolic phenotyping system data.
- Filter Replacement: Replace the small particulate filters at the cage gas inlets to prevent powdered diet dust from entering the delicate gas analyzers of the lab animal monitoring system.
Summary: Maintenance Checklist
Daily
Ensure food accessibility.
After Every Run
Maintain 99% spillage accuracy.
Weekly/As Needed
Prevent sensor drift.
Before Every Study
Maintain milligram precision.
Separation Funnel & Wire Floor Maintenance
- Debris Removal: Check the wire-mesh floor daily for trapped feces or food clumps that could prevent urine from flowing into the separation funnel.
- Funnel Coating: Regularly ensure the funnel's internal surface is clean and smooth; any residue can cause urine to bead rather than flow, delaying automated voiding detection.
- Sanitization: Use non-residue cleaners on the funnel and wire floor to prevent chemical interference with sensitive urine biomarkers or metabolomics samples.
Load Cell Calibration & Care
Zeroing the Scales: Before each run, ensure the collection vials are properly seated on the high-precision load cells and zeroed through the software.
- Clearance Check: Verify that the collection vials are not touching the sides of the stand or the funnel exit, as any mechanical contact will skew the weight data recorded by the metabolic monitoring system.
- Load Cell Protection: Avoid pressing down heavily on the vial platforms during cleaning, as these scales are calibrated for milligram-level sensitivity (+/- 0.005g).
Feeder & Tunnel Cleaning
- Rib Cleaning: The specialized ribs inside the narrow tunnel feeder must be kept free of oils and food dust to effectively brush the animal's fur and prevent contamination of the urine funnel.
- Spill Cup Emptying: Regularly empty the spill cup located beneath the tunnel feeder to ensure food weight tracking remains accurate, and crumbs do not overflow into the waste area.
Gas Path & Moisture Control
- Desiccant Maintenance: Because the waste cage environment can have higher humidity due to open urine vials, monitor your Drierite (desiccant) frequently.
- Sample Dryer Inspection: Ensure the integrated sample dryer is cooling correctly (typically down to 4°C) to remove moisture from the air stream before it reaches the mouse indirect calorimetry sensors.
Urine Preservation System (Add-on Feature)
- Cooling Plate Check: If using the urine freezing option, verify that the chilled plates are reaching the target temperature before placing collection vials.
- Vial Charging: If using chemical preservatives in the vials, ensure they are added in exact volumes to be subtracted from the final weight recorded by the lab animal monitoring system.
Frequently Asked Questions - FAQs
A home cage monitoring system integrates high-precision sensors that do not interfere with the animals. Unlike a simple enclosure, this metabolic cage housing system simultaneously captures VO2, VCO2, food/water intake, and 3-axis activity. It transforms a standard living space into a sophisticated rodent calorimetry system.
The rat or mouse metabolic system is highly scalable. A single controller can typically manage 1 to 32 animals. For large-scale studies, the lab animal monitoring system can be expanded to run multiple racks in parallel, making it an ideal metabolic phenotyping system for high-throughput genetic screening.
Yes. In the CLAMS-Connect, CLAMS-HomeCage, and CLAMS-CenterFeeder models, you can use standard contact bedding. This is a key feature of the mouse metabolic cage system, as it reduces animal stress and provides more accurate data compared to bare-bottom cages. However, the rodent metabolic cage system for waste collection CLAMS-WasteCage features a special cage floor that is not conducive to standard bedding.
The sampling speed depends on your sensor choice. If using the high-speed Zirconia oxygen sensor, the rodent indirect calorimetry data can be refreshed every 20 seconds per cage. This high-density data enables the cage-monitoring system to detect subtle metabolic spikes associated with specific behaviors.
Absolutely. Using infrared beam breaks across the X, Y, and Z axes, these metabolic and behavioral cages distinguish between:
- Ambulatory Activity: Exploring the cage.
- Fine Movement: Grooming or scratching.
- Rearing: Standing on hind legs (detected by the Z-axis).
Yes, our CLAMS metabolism and behavior lab equipment is supported by CI-Link with CI-OxyMap software. This platform is IICCC-compliant and provides transparent, auditable data. It automatically partitions energy expenditure, a crucial step in a modern metabolic phenotyping cage protocol.
The metabolic cage system utilizes non-dispersive infrared (NDIR) sensors and automated fresh-air reference checks. The system periodically pulls ambient air to re-zero the sensors, ensuring that your rodent metabolic system remains accurate over experiments lasting days or weeks.
Researchers using mouse indirect calorimetry typically use the Abbreviated Weir Equation to convert gas exchange data into energy values. The formula most commonly used by the metabolic monitoring system software is: EE = [3.941 x VO2 + 1.106 x VCO2] x 1.44(Where VO2 and VCO2 are in mL/min, and the result is in kcal/day). If your study involves protein metabolism, you may need the full equation, which includes a correction for urinary nitrogen.
To ensure your home cage monitoring system data is valid and reflects natural behavior, follow this standard timeline:
- Vivarium Acclimation (7 days): Animals should stay in the facility to recover from transport stress.
- Cage Habitation (48–72 hours): Place animals in the metabolic phenotyping cage with the same bedding and food they will use during the test.
- Stable Recording: Data from the first 24 hours is often discarded as noise. Analyze the 48-hour window that follows (2 full light/dark cycles).
Choosing the right sensor for your metabolic system depends on your experimental goals:
- Zirconia (High Speed): The benchmark for fast scanning. It can scan 16–32 cages in seconds, providing higher data density. However, it is sensitive to moisture and reducing gases.
- Paramagnetic (High Precision): Known for extreme stability and percent-level accuracy. It is rugged and long-lasting, but slower to respond than Zirconia.
If your Respiratory Exchange Ratio (RER = VCO2 / VO2) is below 0.7 or above 1.1, your metabolic cage system may have a mechanical issue:
- Check for Leaks: Inspect the cage lid seals and gas line connections. A common culprit is a loose water bottle or a pinched tube.
- Examine Desiccant: Check your Drierite (should be blue, not pink) and Soda Lime (should be white, not purple/brown). Exhausted drying agents cause sensor drift.
- Recalibrate: Perform a two-point calibration using certified calibration gases (e.g., 20.50% O2 and 0.50% CO2).
In rodent calorimetry system research, simply dividing energy expenditure by body weight (e.g., kcal/hr/kg) is now considered scientifically outdated.
The Problem: Ratios assume that metabolism and body weight have a perfectly linear relationship that passes through zero, which is biologically false.
The Solution: Use ANCOVA (Analysis of Covariance). This treats body weight (or lean mass) as a "covariate," allowing for a more accurate comparison between groups (e.g., lean vs. obese) without the "spurious" results caused by ratio-based scaling.
DaCheck for bedding/debris blocking the IR beams in the metabolic and behavioral cages.ily
Ensure the metabolic cage housing system spill cup isn't touching the cage floor (zeroing the scale).
Check the lab animal monitoring system pump flow rate; ensure it matches your calibration.
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