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Review
. 2020 Dec 31;61(2-3):179-187.
doi: 10.1093/ilar/ilab014.

Marmoset Metabolism, Nutrition, and Obesity

Corinna N Ross  1   2 , Ricki Colman  3 , Michael Power  4 , Suzette Tardif  2
Affiliations
Review

Marmoset Metabolism, Nutrition, and Obesity

Corinna N Ross et al. ILAR J. .

Abstract

The use of marmosets as nonhuman primate models of human disease has undergone rapid expansion in the United States in the last decade, with an emphasis in the field of neuroscience. With this expanding need, there has been an increase in the formation of small marmoset colonies. The standardization in care and husbandry techniques for marmosets has historically lagged behind other established nonhuman primate models, resulting in a great deal of variation in practices between colonies. There remains a lack of consensus and evidence-based recommendations regarding best standards for nutrition, enrichment, weight management, and diagnostics for clinical metabolic disease. Marmoset base diets vary broadly in their nutritional value, and therefore the physiological responses to these diets also vary broadly. In this review, we briefly outline what is known about nutrition for captive marmosets and highlight what is known regarding metabolic dysfunction and obesity.

Keywords: diet-induced obesity; metabolic dysfunction.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Box and whisper plot of actual weight data sent in response to survey request. Box represents interquartile range. Line within box represents median. Whiskers represent range. Adult = 2–8 years of age. Older = 8+ years of age. Adult males, n = 370; adult females, n = 325; older males, n = 57; older females, n = 50. Adult females were not pregnant at time of weight assessment.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Mean (± SE) of grams consumed in 6 hours of a fat-free and a high-fat dairy product presented in a 2-bottle choice trial. Those subjects that subsequently lost weight while on a high-fat diet challenge consumed significantly less of the high-fat dairy product (F = 3.55, P = .04).
Figure 3
Figure 3
The percent body fat with SEM for normal and obese animals at 1, 2, 6, and 12 months. Animals defined to be normal had body fat <14% and animals defined to be obese had body fat >14% at 12 months of age. Data from Power et al, 2012.33
Figure 4
Figure 4
The change in circulating triglyceride concentration (post – pre value) following feeding in subjects that gained weight vs those that did not gain weight while on the high-fat diet challenge. The box represents in interquartile range and the line through the box the median value.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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