Gender comparisons of control of breathing and metabolism in conscious mice exposed to cold.
We evaluated the effects of 2 h of warm (24 degrees C) and cold (6 degrees C) exposure on metabolism and ventilation (V(E)) in conscious male and female Harlan ICR Swiss Webster mice exposed to air, and 8% O(2) in N(2) (hypoxia) and to 5% CO(2) in O(2) (hypercapnia) for 2 min each at both temperatures. All cold-exposed mice increased O(2) consumption (V(O2)), and maintained body temperature. Cold-exposed females doubled their tidal volume, increased their V(E) fivefold, and doubled their ventilatory equivalent to V(O2) (V(E)/V(O2)). In contrast, cold-exposed males decreased tidal volume and doubled V(E) relative to warm exposure. The ventilatory equivalent of males was similar during warm and cold exposure. During warm exposure, mice of both genders increased their ventilatory responses to both hypoxia and to hypercapnia by different mechanisms. In contrast, during cold exposure, these responses were blunted relative to air measurements in females and decreased below air values in males. Thus, cold exposure was able to elicit gender-specific ventilatory and metabolic responses.
Schlenker
Evelyn H
EH
Division of Basic Biomedical Sciences, Neuroscience Group, University of South Dakota, Vermillion, SD, USA. eschlenk@usd.edu
Hansen
Susan N
SN
Pfaff
Donald W
DW
D000818:Animals; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003080:Cold Temperature; D005260:Female; D006935:Hypercapnia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D000860:Hypoxia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008813:Mice, Inbred ICR; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology*; D012119:Respiration; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D013990:Tidal Volume