Flight and heat dissipation in birds. A possible molecular mechanism.
Birds during normal sustained flight must be able to dissipate more than 8 times as much heat as during rest in order not to be overheated. The experiments reported in this note on the hemoglobin systems from two different birds indicate the existence of a molecular mechanism by which hemoglobin is used simultaneously for oxygen transport and heat dissipation.
Giardina
B
B
Department of Experimental Medicine and Biochemical Sciences, II University of Rome, Italy.
Corda
M
M
Pellegrini
M G
MG
Sanna
M T
MT
Brix
O
O
Clementi
M E
ME
Condo
S G
SG
D000818:Animals; D001717:Birds / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology*; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D010856:Columbidae / Q000097:blood* / Q000502:physiology*; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel; D005426:Flight, Animal / Q000502:physiology*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D010100:Oxygen / Q000378:metabolism; D013045:Species Specificity; D013696:Temperature
D006454:Hemoglobins; D010100:Oxygen