Improved cardiac filling facilitates the postprandial elevation of stroke volume inPython regius

• DOI: 10.1242/jeb.142729
• Publication Date: 2016-07-22T00:53:24Z
• Authors: Sanne Enok; Gabriella Leite; Cléo Leite; Hans Gesser; Michael S. Hedrick; Tobias Wang
• Keywords: Python

To accommodate the pronounced metabolic response to digestion, pythons increase heart rate and elevate stroke volume, where latter has been ascribed a massive fast cardiac hypertrophy. However, numerous recent studies show that mass rarely increases, even upon ingestion of large meals, we therefore explored possibility rise in mean circulatory filling pressure (MCFP) serves venous during digestion. this end, measured blood flows pressures anaesthetized Python regius The snakes exhibited archetypal tachycardia as well both MCFP fully account for approximate doubling volume. There was no volume elevated must stem from increased vascular tone, possibly by means sympathetic tone on veins. Furthermore, although loading, there evidence postprandial hearts were endowed with an additional capacity In vitro measurements force development paced ventricular strips also failed reveal signs contractility, but had higher activities cytochrome oxidase pyruvate kinase, which probably sustain work