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First published online December 16, 2008
Journal of Experimental Biology 212, 145-151 (2009)
Published by The Company of Biologists 2009
doi: 10.1242/jeb.024042

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The unequal influences of the left and right vagi on the control of the heart and pulmonary artery in the rattlesnake, Crotalus durissus

E. W. Taylor^1,2,*, Denis V. Andrade¹, Augusto S. Abe¹, Cleo A. C. Leite¹ and Tobias Wang^1,3

¹ Departmento de Zoologia, Universidade Estadual Paulista, Rio Claro, SP, Brazil
² School of Biosciences, The University of Birmingham, Edgbaston B15 2TT, UK
³ Institute of Biology, Aarhus University, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark

View larger version (43K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig. 1. A recording from an anaesthetised rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus, 754 g) of systemic arterial blood pressure (Psys) as well as blood flows in the pulmonary artery (PA) and the left aortic arch (LAO) during a period of peripheral electrical stimulation of the left or right cervical vagus. The periods of electrical stimulation are shown by the right bars.

View larger version (18K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig. 2. Cardiovascular changes upon electrical stimulation of the right (open bars) or the left (closed bars) vagus in the rattlesnake (Crotalus durissus). Data are presented as the relative changes in heart rate (fH), systemic blood pressure (Psys), systemic stroke volume (Vs,sys) and stroke flow in the pulmonary artery (Vs,pul), caused by peripheral electrical simulation of the left or right vagus at intensities causing approximately 20 or 60% reductions in fH, respectively. Data are presented as means ± s.e.m (N=9). Values that are significantly different from the resting undisturbed condition are marked with an asterisk.

View larger version (29K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig. 3. The effects of progressive transection of the vagi on stroke volume in the pulmonary and systemic blood flows (pul and sys, respectively) as well as heart rate (fH) in unanaesthetised rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus). In the first series of experiments (A–C), the left vagus was transected before the right whereas this order was reversed in the second series, i.e. right vagus was transacted before the left vagus (D–F). Either route terminated in complete vagotomy. sys was calculated as 3.3 x blood flow in the left aortic arch. N=6 in each of the two experimental protocols and data are presented as means ± s.e.m. Values that are significantly different from the resting undisturbed condition are marked with an asterisk.

View larger version (16K): [in this window] [in a new window]   Fig. 4. The effects of progressive transection of the vagi on stroke volume in the pulmonary and systemic circulations (Vs,pul and Vs,sys, respectively) in unanaesthetised rattlesnakes (Crotalus durissus). In the first series of experiments (A,B), the left vagus was transected before the right whereas this order was reversed in the second series (C,D). Either route terminated in complete vagotomy. Vs,sys is calculated as 3.3 x stroke volume in the left aortic arch. N=6 in each of the two experimental protocols and data are presented as mean ± s.e.m. Values that are significantly different from the resting undisturbed condition are marked with an asterisk.

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