Patent ID: 7135611

Claim:
A transgenic mouse whose genome comprises a heterologous nucleic acid sequence comprising a nucleic acid sequence encoding mouse Wnt10b operably linked to a murine 422/aP2 promoter, wherein the adipose tissue of said transgenic mouse exhibits a higher level of Wnt10b mRNA expression than that of a mouse comprising no heterologous nucleic acid sequence, and wherein said transgenic mouse exhibits decreased subcutaneous fat, and wherein said mouse further comprises characteristics of: increased glucose tolerance, increased insulin sensitivity, increased cold sensitivity, elevated subcutaneous collagen, increased subcutaneous mast cells, and a decrease in mRNA levels of sterol regulatory element binding protein-1c (SREBP1c), 422/aP2, fatty acid synthetase (FAS), acetyl-CoA carboxylase (ACC1), and stearoly-CoA desaturase (SCD) in adipose tissue.