spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif spacer gif
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


spacer gif
     Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents    

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow References
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Herman, J.
Right arrow Articles by Ingermann, R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by Herman, J.
Right arrow Articles by Ingermann, R.

Journal of Experimental Biology, Vol 199, Issue 9 2061-2070, Copyright © 1996 by Company of Biologists

JOURNAL ARTICLES

Effects of hypoxia and hyperoxia on oxygen-transfer properties of the blood of a viviparous snake

J Herman and R Ingermann

Red cell oxygen affinity, red cell nucleoside triphosphate (NTP) levels and blood oxygen-carrying capacity were determined for male, nonpregnant and pregnant female, and fetal garter snakes Thamnophis elegans exposed to hypoxia (5 % oxygen) and hyperoxia (100 % oxygen). Male and nonpregnant female snakes were maintained under these conditions for up to 3 weeks and exhibited an apparent maximal change in oxygen affinity after 14 days of hypoxia and hyperoxia. Red cell NTP levels decreased and oxygen affinity increased with exposure to hypoxia, while exposure to hyperoxia promoted an increase in red cell NTP concentrations and a decrease in red cell oxygen affinity in the males. Hyperoxia-exposed nonpregnant females did not show a significant change in oxygen affinity. After 14 days of hypoxia, the pregnant females showed an increase in red cell oxygen affinity which was associated with a decrease in red cell NTP concentration and in the molar ratio of NTP/hemoglobin relative to normoxic controls. Fourteen days of hyperoxia did not result in a change in oxygen affinity of red cells from the pregnant female, but did promote a slight increase red cell NTP concentrations. The blood parameters of fetuses from females exposed to hypoxia or hyperoxia did not differ from those of normoxic control fetuses. The fetuses of females exposed to hypoxia suffered greater mortality, appeared less developed and had a lower average wet mass than the fetuses of normoxic- and hyperoxic-exposed females. Neither hypoxia nor hyperoxia altered the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood in any group of snake.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J. Exp. Biol.Home page
J. Overgaard and T. Wang
Increased blood oxygen affinity during digestion in the snake Python molurus
J. Exp. Biol., November 1, 2002; 205(21): 3327 - 3334.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


© The Company of Biologists Ltd 1996