OXYGEN-CONSUMPTION OF GERMFREE AND CONVENTIONAL MICE

Abstract

O2 consumption was determined in germfree and conventional mice using a respirometer in order to make precise corrections for variations in temperature or barometric pressure. In 20, 3 min observations on 21 germfree and 21 conventional mice, the germfree animals consumed an average of 2.11 ml of O2 per gram body wt per hour in comparison to 2.37 ml for the conventional mice. This difference was not accompanied by a difference in rectal temperature.