Development of metabolic inflammation during pre-hibernation fattening in 13-lined ground squirrels (Ictidomys tridecemlineatus).

Obesity is a worldwide pandemic with significant comorbidities. It is often accompanied by mild inflammation of the intestine followed by inflammation of metabolic tissues such as liver, adipose tissue, and skeletal muscle. Several laboratory models of obesity exist, but seasonal models like hibernators may be valuable for understanding the pathogenesis of obesity independent of genetic or high-fat diet-induced changes.