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The Journal of Experimental Biology 205, 1881-1888 (2002)
© 2002 The Company of Biologists Limited

Effects of temperature, epinephrine and Ca²⁺ on the hearts of yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares)

Jason M. Blank¹, Jeffery M. Morrissette¹, Peter S. Davie² and Barbara A. Block^1,*

¹ Tuna Research and Conservation Center, Stanford University, Hopkins Marine Station, Oceanview Boulevard, Pacific Grove, CA 93950, USA
² Comparative Physiology and Anatomy, Institute of Veterinary, Animal and Biomedical Sciences, Massey University, New Zealand

^* Author for correspondence (e-mail: bblock{at}stanford.edu )

Accepted 10 April 2002

Tuna are endothermic fish with high metabolic rates, cardiac outputs and aerobic capacities. While tuna warm their skeletal muscle, viscera, brain and eyes, their hearts remain near ambient temperature, raising the possibility that cardiac performance may limit their thermal niches. We used an in situ perfused heart preparation to investigate the effects of acute temperature change and the effects of epinephrine and extracellular Ca²⁺ on cardiac function in yellowfin tuna (Thunnus albacares). Heart rate showed a strong temperature-dependence, ranging from 20 beats min^-1 at 10 °C to 109 beats min^-1 at 25 °C. Maximal stroke volume showed an inverse temperature-dependence, ranging from 1.4 ml kg^-1 at 15 °C to 0.9 ml kg^-1 at 25 °C. Maximal cardiac outputs were 27 ml kg^-1 min^-1 at 10 °C and 98 ml kg^-1 min^-1 at 25 °C. There were no significant effects of perfusate epinephrine concentrations between 1 and 100 nmoll^-1 at 20 °C. Increasing extracellular Ca²⁺ concentration from 1.84 to 7.36 mmoll^-1 at 20 °C produced significant increases in maximal stroke volume, cardiac output and myocardial power output. These data demonstrate that changes in heart rate and stroke volume are involved in maintaining cardiac output during temperature changes in tuna and support the hypothesis that cardiac performance may limit the thermal niches of yellowfin tuna.

Key words: temperature, epinephrine, Ca²⁺, cardiac function, heart, yellowfin tuna, Thunnus albacares

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