Osmoregulation and body fluid compartmentalization in dehydrated heat-exposed pigeons.
Osmoregulatory and volume-regulatory responses of heat-acclimated pigeons (Columba livia) were studied during normal hydration and dehydration combined with heat exposure. Dehydrated heat-exposed pigeons (exposure to 50 degrees C following 48 h of water deprivation; 16-18% mass loss) could recover 97% of their initial body mass within 30 min of free drinking at the end of heat exposure. At the end of heat exposure, body temperature increased by 3 degrees C and hematocrit increased by 12.5%. Serum electrolyte and protein concentrations increased by 33-53% (P less than 0.001). Serum osmolality reached an outstanding mean value of 436.7 +/- 28.5 mosmol/kg (n = 11), 30.5% higher than the normal mean value. Serum glutamic-pyruvic transaminase and glutamic-oxaloacetic transaminase concentrations did not change during dehydration, suggesting no impairment in circulatory function. Blood urea nitrogen increased sixfold, indicating a total shutdown of the kidney. Relative plasma volume was maintained during dehydration at the expense of extravascular spaces and with a decreased vascular permeability as indicated by the increase in Evans blue-labeled albumin half-life (control, 104 +/- 53 min; dehydration, approaching infinity). Altogether, extracellular fluid volume and intracellular fluid volume contributed 53 and 47% of the evaporative water loss, respectively. It is concluded that plasma volume regulation may play an important role in the effective thermoregulatory responses of heat-exposed dehydrated pigeons. This regulation is achieved by preferential shifts of body water reserves among the various body water compartments coinciding with a remarkable tolerance to high osmotic pressures.
Department of Biology, Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, Haifa.
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Z
Arad
M
M
Horowitz
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U
Eylath
J
J
Marder
D000064:Acclimatization; D000818:Animals; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001798:Blood Proteins / Q000378:metabolism; D001831:Body Temperature; D001835:Body Weight; D010856:Columbidae; D003681:Dehydration / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004326:Drinking; D004573:Electrolytes / Q000097:blood; D006400:Hematocrit; D006358:Hot Temperature; D012016:Reference Values; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
D001786:Blood Glucose; D001798:Blood Proteins; D004573:Electrolytes