This experiment was conducted using mice that were either obese due to a leptin gene mutation or a defective leptin receptor. When the obese mouse with no leptin was parabiotically fused to a healthy mouse: Leptin in the blood of the healthy mouse was transferred to the obese mouse. The obese mouse responded to the leptin and began to lose weight, demonstrating the potential viability of leptin treatment. However, when the obese mouse with a defective leptin receptor was parabiotically fused to a healthy mouse: Leptin was transferred to the healthy mouse (the obese mouse overproduced leptin to compensate for low receptor sensitivity). The obese mouse remained obese as its body could not respond to leptin. The healthy mouse became emaciated due to the abnormally high levels of leptin transferred into its bloodstream

Then try StudyFetch, the AI-powered platform that can answer your questions and teach you more about it!