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Considerations for designing and analysing inter-generational studies in rodents

Nature Metabolism volume 5, pages 1–4 (2023)Cite this article

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The environment experienced by an individual early in life has long-term health consequences. Here we summarize key factors that should be considered when designing studies in rodents that aim to address the developmental programming of metabolic disease.

The period during which a fertilized egg develops into a functioning young animal is a time of rapid, exquisitely timed growth and development. Changes to the external environment during this time — either of the mother during pregnancy or of the neonate — can affect the health of an animal for the rest of its life. This process of developmental programming is studied in the field known as developmental origins of health and disease.

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Fig. 1: Distinguishing between trans-generational and inter-generational studies.
Fig. 2: Examples of how using multiple offspring from the same litter can lead to incorrect experimental conclusions.
Fig. 3: A summary of the key considerations for experimental design in developmental programming studies.

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Acknowledgements

Our work is supported by the MRC (MC_UU_00014/4), BHF (RG/17/12/33167 and PG/20/11/34957) and Royal Society (DHF\R1\221051).

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  1. University of Cambridge Metabolic Research Laboratories and MRC Metabolic Diseases Unit, Wellcome MRC Institute of Metabolic Science, Cambridge, UK

    Laura Dearden & Susan E. Ozanne

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  1. Laura Dearden
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  2. Susan E. Ozanne
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Correspondence to Laura Dearden or Susan E. Ozanne.

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Dearden, L., Ozanne, S.E. Considerations for designing and analysing inter-generational studies in rodents. Nat Metab 5, 1–4 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1038/s42255-022-00721-7

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