The effect of low levels of carbon dioxide on metabolism of Mus musculus

1. 1. In this study we measured the metabolic response of individual mice to low concentrations of carbon dioxide in air (0.14 to 1.7%). Both oxygen consumption (V_o2) and carbon dioxide (V_o2) were determined, and the respiratory quotient (R) was calculated. 2. 2. V_o2 was significantly reduced at levels of 0.14 to 0.50% CO₂ in the air. At 0.23% for example, V_o2 dropped from 3.11 ± 0.6 to 1.26 ± 0.69 cc O₂/g × hr. R increased from 0.7 to 1.0 and higher throughout the 6-hr testing period, which consisted of 1.5 hr of exposure to 0.0% CO₂, 1.5 hr of exposure to a test gas and a repetition of 1.5 hr each of baseline and test exposures. 3. 3. We conclude that low levels of CO₂ such as mice might encounter in a nest, burrow or even metabolic chamber may effect a feedback mechanism which acts to decrease metabolism.