QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s):
Home     Help     Feedback     Subscriptions     Archive     Search     Table of Contents

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by AGNISOLA, C. Articles by HOULIHAN, D. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by AGNISOLA, C. Articles by HOULIHAN, D. F.

Journal of Experimental Biology 157,523-540 (1991)
Published by Company of Biologists 1991

OXYGEN SUPPLY AND IN VITRO PERFORMANCE OF THE SYSTEMIC HEART OF OCTOPUS VULGARIS: EFFECTS OF HAEMOCYANIN

C. AGNISOLA ¹ and D. F. HOULIHAN

¹ Stazione Zoologica ‘A. Dohrn’ 1-80121 Napoli, Italy

The effect of increasing oxygen supply on the perfused systemic heart of Octopus vulgaris (Lam.) by using oxygenated or haemocyanin-containing perfusates was investigated. Providing aerated blood or seawater solutions of haemocyanin that were comparable with blood in oxygen-carrying capacity improved the performance of the isolated heart compared with that of hearts perfused with aerated sea water. Aortic outputs were similar to in vivo values (44ml min^-1 g^-1) at close to in vivo values of preload and afterload owing to an increase in both heart rate (from 24.0 to 38.4beatsmin^-1) and stroke volume (from 0.69 to 1.10ml g^-1). Coronary flow fell in these conditions, becoming 2.5% of the aortic output (against 24% with aerated sea water). A parallel increase in coronary resistance was found. Oxygenated sea water also improved the performance of the heart, mainly by improving the stroke volume. Both with haemocyanin solutions or blood and with oxygenated sea water, the isolated heart was able to do more work at lower preloads compared with the hearts perfused with aerated sea water. Power output was linearly related to total oxygen consumption and carbon dioxide production. The major site of oxygen consumption was the coronary bed. Haemocyanin released about 70% of the bound oxygen as it passed through the ventricular wall.

Note:
Present address: Department of Zoology, University of Aberdeen, Aberdeen AB9 2TN, Scotland, UK.

Key words: Octopus vulgaris, systemic heart, haemocyanin, in vitro performance, coronary supply

Accepted on December 17, 1990

This article has been cited by other articles:

				C. L. Harwood, I. S. Young, and J. D. Altringham How the efficiency of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) ventricular muscle changes with cycle frequency J. Exp. Biol., March 1, 2002; 205(5): 697 - 706. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				B Versen, S Gokorsch, A Fiedler, and R Schipp Monoamines and the isolated auricle of sepia officinalis: are there &bgr;-like receptors in the heart of a cephalopod? J. Exp. Biol., January 5, 1999; 202(9): 1067 - 1079. [Abstract] [PDF]