Blood gases, pH and hematology of montane and lowland coot embryos.
Blood gases, air cell-blood gas differences, blood pH, and hematology were compared in embryonic coots (Fulica americana peruviana) at 4150 m and sea level in Peru. Neither arterialized nor venous O2 tensions differed significantly between montane and lowland groups but blood CO2 tensions of the two groups differed significantly. The air cell PO2-arterialized blood PO2 difference of montane eggs was less than half the value in lowland eggs. Both arterialized and venous CO2 tensions differed substantially between montane and lowland groups. Despite these differences, plasma pH at both altitudes was statistically indistinguishable, due in part to variation in plasma [HCO3-]. Hematocrits of montane embryos were significantly higher than that of their lowland counterparts.
Carey
C
C
Department of EPO Biology, University of Colorado, Boulder 80309.
Dunin-Borkowski
O
O
Leon-Velarde
F
F
Espinoza
D
D
Monge
C
C
D000531:Altitude; D000818:Animals; D003411:Arvicolinae / Q000097:blood* / Q000196:embryology; D001639:Bicarbonates / Q000097:blood; D001717:Birds / Q000097:blood* / Q000196:embryology; D001784:Blood Gas Analysis; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D004622:Embryo, Mammalian / Q000502:physiology*; D004625:Embryo, Nonmammalian; D006400:Hematocrit; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000097:blood; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D010101:Oxygen Consumption
D001639:Bicarbonates; D006454:Hemoglobins; D002245:Carbon Dioxide; D010100:Oxygen