View source for Pyruvate Tolerance Test

==Materials==
* Glucometer - AccuChek Advantage
* Glucose Test Strips - AccuChek Comfort Curve. Order these through Materiels Service by calling 936-6077 and ordering product 2535. For information see [here]
* Scale
* Beaker for weighing mice
* Syringes
* 2.5g pyruvate in 10 mL PBS- This will correspond to 2.5 g/kg injections. 
* Timer


==Protocol==
* Remove food from mice for about 6h. 
* Typically starve the mice at 9AM and aim to start injections at 3 PM
* Weigh mice, mark tails if necessary and [[take fasting glucose measurement]] via a tail clip.
* Prepare pyruvate syringes with 10 uL per g mouse weight (ie for a 30g mouse, 300 uL).
* At approximately 1 min intervals, inject appropriate amount of pyruvate into interperitoneal cavity of the mouse.
* Immobilize mouse and restrain tail with one hand
* Aim needle between the midline and the hip bone
* Insert syringe (do not inject) into cavity
* Eject syringe.
* At desired intervals (normally 15, 30, 45, 60, 75, 90, 105 and 120 min), take blood glucose measurements from tail vein. If needed re-snip the tail vein. When measuring glucose just lift the tail of the mouse, while leaving it in the cage, rather than removing and restraining the mouse.
* Analyse data by both % change from fasting glucose and absolute values.