| Functional morphology and patterns of blood flow in the heart of Python regius. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 19097161 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Brightness-modulated ultrasonography, continuous-wave Doppler, and pulsed-wave Doppler-echocardiography were used to analyze the functional morphology of the undisturbed heart of ball pythons. In particular, the action of the muscular ridge and the atrio-ventricular valves are key features to understand how patterns of blood flow emerge from structures directing blood into the various chambers of the heart. A step-by-step image analysis of echocardiographs shows that during ventricular diastole, the atrio-ventricular valves block the interventricular canals so that blood from the right atrium first fills the cavum venosum, and blood from the left atrium fills the cavum arteriosum. During diastole, blood from the cavum venosum crosses the muscular ridge into the cavum pulmonale. During middle to late systole the muscular ridge closes, thus prohibiting further blood flow into the cavum pulmonale. At the same time, the atrio-ventricular valves open the interventricular canal and allow blood from the cavum arteriosum to flow into the cavum venosum. In the late phase of ventricular systole, all blood from the cavum pulmonale is pressed into the pulmonary trunk; all blood from the cavum venosum is pressed into both aortas. Quantitative measures of blood flow volume showed that resting snakes bypass the pulmonary circulation and shunt about twice the blood volume into the systemic circulation as into the pulmonary circulation. When digesting, the oxygen demand of snakes increased tremendously. This is associated with shunting more blood into the pulmonary circulation. The results of this study allow the presentation of a detailed functional model of the python heart. They are also the basis for a functional hypothesis of how shunting is achieved. Further, it was shown that shunting is an active regulation process in response to changing demands of the organism (here, oxygen demand). Finally, the results of this study support earlier reports about a dual pressure circulation in Python regius. |
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Authors:
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J Matthias Starck |
Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Journal of morphology Volume: 270 ISSN: 1097-4687 ISO Abbreviation: J. Morphol. Publication Date: 2009 Jun |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2009-05-19 Completed Date: 2009-08-12 Revised Date: 2009-10-20 |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 0406125 Medline TA: J Morphol Country: United States |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 673-87 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Biology II, Biocenter Martinsried, University of Munich (LMU), Planegg-Martinsried, Germany. starck@uni-muenchen.de |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Animals Boidae / physiology* Coronary Circulation / physiology* Coronary Vessels / anatomy & histology, ultrasonography Echocardiography Heart / anatomy & histology*, physiology* Heart Function Tests Heart Rate Heart Valves / ultrasonography Heart Ventricles / anatomy & histology, ultrasonography Oxygen Consumption |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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