| The right-to-left shunt of crocodilians serves digestion. | |
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MedLine Citation:
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PMID: 18194087 Owner: NLM Status: MEDLINE |
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
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Abstract All amniotes except birds and mammals have the ability to shunt blood past the lungs, but the physiological function of this ability is poorly understood. We studied the role of the shunt in digestion in juvenile American alligators in the following ways. First, we characterized the shunt in fasting and postprandial animals and found that blood was shunted past the lungs during digestion. Second, we disabled the shunt by surgically sealing the left aortic orifice in one group of animals, and we performed a sham surgery in another. We then compared postprandial rates of gastric acid secretion at body temperatures of 19 degrees and 27 degrees C and rates of digestion of bone at 27 degrees C. Twelve hours after eating, maximal rates of gastric acid secretion when measured at 19 degrees and 27 degrees C were significantly less in the disabled group than in sham-operated animals. Twenty-four hours postprandial, a significant decrease was found at 27 degrees C but not at 19 degrees C. For the first half of digestion, dissolution of cortical bone was significantly slower in the disabled animals. These data suggest the right-to-left shunt serves to retain carbon dioxide in the body so that it can be used by the gastrointestinal system. We hypothesize that the foramen of Panizza functions to enrich with oxygen blood that is destined for the gastrointestinal system to power proton pumps and other energy-demanding processes of digestion and that the right-to-left shunt serves to provide carbon dioxide to gastrointestinal organs besides the stomach, such as the pancreas, spleen, upper small intestine, and liver. |
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Authors:
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C G Farmer; T J Uriona; D B Olsen; M Steenblik; K Sanders |
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Publication Detail:
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Type: Journal Article; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S. |
Journal Detail:
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Title: Physiological and biochemical zoology : PBZ Volume: 81 ISSN: 1522-2152 ISO Abbreviation: Physiol. Biochem. Zool. Publication Date: 2008 Mar-Apr |
Date Detail:
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Created Date: 2008-02-06 Completed Date: 2008-04-22 Revised Date: - |
Medline Journal Info:
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Nlm Unique ID: 100883369 Medline TA: Physiol Biochem Zool Country: United States |
Other Details:
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Languages: eng Pagination: 125-37 Citation Subset: IM |
Affiliation:
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Department of Biology, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, Utah 84112, USA. farmer@biology.utah.edu |
Export Citation:
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| MeSH Terms | |
Descriptor/Qualifier:
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Alligators and Crocodiles
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physiology* Animals Aorta / physiology Blood Circulation / physiology* Blood Flow Velocity / physiology Digestion / physiology* Energy Metabolism Heart / physiology Postprandial Period |
From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine
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