The obese gene is expressed in lean littermates of the genetically obese mouse (C57BL/6J ob/ob).

Some individuals of the mixed group of "lean" littermates (+/ob and +/+) of (C57BL/6J ob/ob) often suggest phenotypic characteristics of ob/ob animals. Therefore, it was of interest to determine whether expression of the ob gene had physiological significance in +/ob animals. Body weight (BW), fasting blood glucose (FBG), and body core temperature (Tr) were monitored between 62 and 364 days of age in +/+ and +/ob mice. Among females but not males, +/ob mice were heavier (P = 0.003) and FBG levels were greater (P = 0.04) than in +/+ animals. Comparison of Tr indicated differences suggesting falling Tr in +/ob but rising Tr in +/+ mice with age in males but not females. Multivariate analysis of variance yielded genotype effects for both males (P = 0.002) and females (P = 0.02). BW, FBG, and Tr alone were sufficient at the 75% level for genotypic characterization and separation of +/? animals as +/ob or +/+; clearly, expression of the ob gene in heterozygotes of the +/ob animal may make the mixed +/? group inappropriate as lean controls.