Document Type
Paper- Restricted to Campus Access
Publication Date
4-21-2022
Faculty Mentor
Stephen C. Kolwicz, Jr.
Abstract
The underrepresentation of females in research studies leads to a knowledge gap in biology and medicine. One explanation for this sex gap in literature is the difficulty in controlling for the difference in sex hormones. The purpose of this study was to determine the role of the estrous cycle, the reproductive cycle in female mice, on sex differences of insulin sensitivity. The estrous cycle in female mice begins approximately twenty-six days after birth and repeats every five days. Using this information, the day of the estrous cycle was predicted in female mice on the day of testing. To measure insulin sensitivity, both male and female mice were injected with a weight-based dose of insulin solution after fasting for two and a half hours. Blood glucose levels were obtained at baseline, at minute 15, 30, 60, and 90 using a handheld glucometer. Results were analyzed by an area under the curve (AUC) analysis. Our preliminary data suggests that sex differences in insulin sensitivity may depend on the specific day of estrous cycle of the female mice.
Recommended Citation
Knapsack, Kaylin, "Effect of Estrous Cycle on Insulin Sensitivity" (2022). Health and Exercise Physiology Presentations. 24.
https://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/health_pres/24
Restricted
Available to Ursinus community only.
Comments
Presented as part of the Ursinus College Celebration of Student Achievement (CoSA) held April 21, 2022.
The downloadable file is a poster.