Antarctic Fish Cardiovascular Physiology

All right, Our physiological topic is adaptations of antarctic fish.

To start off, we're looking at a certain sub order

of fishes because this is not present in all of

them, but this is the sub order, not annoyed.

Um and in this sub order that counts for 34

of all dorsal antarctic fish and those possess adaptations that

include larger egg and larval sizes, glycoprotein into freezes within

their blood, slower swimming speeds um and mother other um

individual adaptations within species.

So the ability to carry oxygen throughout the circulatory system

is of course essential for life and metabolic function.

But it is not easy in the sub zero aquatic

environments that they live in.

So in order to um retain their metabolic function, they're

able to Have these unique bodily capabilities.

They're able to keep blood flowing through the body even

though it has an energetic cost, because they have a

large proportion of Heathrow sites in their spleens.

This helps reserve their energy when they're inactive.

But in times of activity they're able to contract their

spleen, releasing the store throw sites and then this process

will boost blood oxygen carrying capacity by over 200%.

So this allows them to be active in such an

extreme environment while reducing their energetic cost.

While increasing oxygen carrying capacity is a naturally occurring process

in the animal world, it is illegal for human athletes

to do in any sort of additional way.

So this is an increased danger just because of what

the athlete could face.

Um physiologically it could be dangerous for them, but the

antarctic fish are good at this plants.

Armstrong was famously stripped of his tour de France title

after it was revealed with the blood doping.

Um So this is the having red blood cells put

back into the body to increase the oxygen carrying capacity.

Right? So overall this research is really important for understanding

how animals have adapted, unique qualities that allow them to

function in extreme environments that would normally seem unsuitable for

any vertebrate life.

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