Mammalian hibernation is associated with several events that can affect programmed cell death (apoptosis) in nonhibernators, including marked changes in blood flow, extended fasting, and oxidative stress. However, the effect of hibernation on apoptosis is poorly understood. Here, we investigated apoptosis and expression of proteins involved in apoptotic pathways in intestinal mucosa of summer a...

713 eat seeds from cones and are too large to use the subnivian space; for these animals, winter can be a long season without foraging opportunities, and they have therefore evolved the ability to pass winter by while in a torpid state of lethargy. A highly regulated sequence of physiological events beginning months in advance of winter coordinates entrance into the suspended state of animation...

The Chinese soft-shelled turtle ( Pelodiscus sinensis ) is among the most primitive amphibians and reptiles in nature. On account of its environmental suitability unique hibernation habit, peculiar physiological phenomenon P. attracted attention researchers field marine science. present study aimed to investigate molecular mechanisms underlying periodic variation lipid droplet (LD) liver . Hist...

Under natural and artificial conditions, Alpine marmots (Marmota marmota) are true hibernators with a single breeding season starting immediately upon emergence from hibernation. Over three mating and breeding seasons, hormonal and mating patterns of colony-housed reproductive female marmots were investigated after exit from hibernation. Blood samples were taken for progesterone, oestrogen and ...

We conducted a large-scale gene expression screen using the 3,200 cDNA probe microarray developed specifically for Ursus americanus to detect expression differences in liver and skeletal muscle that occur during winter hibernation compared with animals sampled during summer. The expression of 12 genes, including RNA binding protein motif 3 (Rbm3), that are mostly involved in protein biosynthesi...

OBJECTIVE The physiology of hibernation is characterized by dramatic reductions of heart rate, respiration, metabolism, blood pressure and body temperature and by resistance to ventricular fibrillation. Gap junctions in the heart provide low resistance pathways, facilitating electrical and metabolic coupling between cardiac muscle cells for coordinated action of the heart and tissue homeostasis...

Hibernation (multiday torpor) and daily torpor in heterothermic mammals and birds are characterized by pronounced temporal reductions in body temperature, energy expenditure, water loss, and other physiological functions and are the most effective means for energy conservation available to endotherms. Hibernators express multiday torpor predominately throughout winter, which substantially enhan...

Body temperature drops dramatically during hibernation, but the heart retains the ability to contract and is resistant to induction of arrhythmia. Although adaptive changes in the heart prior to hibernation may be involved in the cold-resistant property, it remains unclear whether these changes are sufficient for maintaining cardiac pulsatility under an extreme hypothermic condition. We forcibl...

Electron immunocytochemistry was used to examine perivascular nerves of hamster mesenteric and renal arteries during hibernation and 2 h after arousal from hibernation. Vessels from cold-exposed but nonhibernating, and normothermic control hamsters were also examined. During hibernation the percentage of axon profiles in mesenteric and renal arteries that were immunopositive for markers of symp...