Anatomy and vasculature of a minke whale heart
Abstract The heart from a 4‐m‐long minke whale ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata ) was studied to determine the details of its anatomy and to consider cardiac adaptations to diving. The volume fraction (Vvc) of capillaries in the wall of the left ventricle was determined at different levels from base to...
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crwiley:10.1002/aja.1001690205 2024-03-17T08:56:58+00:00 Anatomy and vasculature of a minke whale heart Ochrymowych, Christina Lambertsen, Richard H. 1984 http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aja.1001690205 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Faja.1001690205 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/aja.1001690205 en eng Wiley http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor American Journal of Anatomy volume 169, issue 2, page 165-175 ISSN 0002-9106 1553-0795 Anatomy journal-article 1984 crwiley https://doi.org/10.1002/aja.1001690205 2024-02-22T01:56:32Z Abstract The heart from a 4‐m‐long minke whale ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata ) was studied to determine the details of its anatomy and to consider cardiac adaptations to diving. The volume fraction (Vvc) of capillaries in the wall of the left ventricle was determined at different levels from base to apex and at different depths from epi‐ to endocardium using a light microscopic stereologic technique. Typical of cetaceans, this minke whale heart was distinctly flattened dorsoventrally. A moderator band, characteristic of ungulate hearts, spanned the right ventricle. The right and left atrioventricular valves were tricuspid and bicuspid, respectively. The right coronary artery supplied the dorsal and right lateral myocardium. The left coronary artery supplied the ventral and left lateral myocardium. An anastomosis between the dorsal and ventral interventricular arteries occurred in the dorsal interventricular groove. Stereologically, a decreasing transmural gradient in Vvc was identified between the epicardium and the subepicardium at 15 cm from the apex. Our results, however, did not reveal any significant deviations in the pattern of capillary distribution in the wall of the left ventricle between this baleen whale and terrestrial mammals. Measurements of the heart, great vessels, coronary vasculature, and ventricular walls are also given, and they suggest a physiologic and adaptive right ventricular hypertrophy. Based on these and other observations, we propose that the relatively great thickness of the right ventricle and the distinctive shape of the cetacean heart are adaptations to the hemodynamic changes and collapse of the thorax associated with apneic diving. Article in Journal/Newspaper Balaenoptera acutorostrata baleen whale minke whale Wiley Online Library American Journal of Anatomy 169 2 165 175 |
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Wiley Online Library |
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English |
topic |
Anatomy |
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Anatomy Ochrymowych, Christina Lambertsen, Richard H. Anatomy and vasculature of a minke whale heart |
topic_facet |
Anatomy |
description |
Abstract The heart from a 4‐m‐long minke whale ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata ) was studied to determine the details of its anatomy and to consider cardiac adaptations to diving. The volume fraction (Vvc) of capillaries in the wall of the left ventricle was determined at different levels from base to apex and at different depths from epi‐ to endocardium using a light microscopic stereologic technique. Typical of cetaceans, this minke whale heart was distinctly flattened dorsoventrally. A moderator band, characteristic of ungulate hearts, spanned the right ventricle. The right and left atrioventricular valves were tricuspid and bicuspid, respectively. The right coronary artery supplied the dorsal and right lateral myocardium. The left coronary artery supplied the ventral and left lateral myocardium. An anastomosis between the dorsal and ventral interventricular arteries occurred in the dorsal interventricular groove. Stereologically, a decreasing transmural gradient in Vvc was identified between the epicardium and the subepicardium at 15 cm from the apex. Our results, however, did not reveal any significant deviations in the pattern of capillary distribution in the wall of the left ventricle between this baleen whale and terrestrial mammals. Measurements of the heart, great vessels, coronary vasculature, and ventricular walls are also given, and they suggest a physiologic and adaptive right ventricular hypertrophy. Based on these and other observations, we propose that the relatively great thickness of the right ventricle and the distinctive shape of the cetacean heart are adaptations to the hemodynamic changes and collapse of the thorax associated with apneic diving. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Ochrymowych, Christina Lambertsen, Richard H. |
author_facet |
Ochrymowych, Christina Lambertsen, Richard H. |
author_sort |
Ochrymowych, Christina |
title |
Anatomy and vasculature of a minke whale heart |
title_short |
Anatomy and vasculature of a minke whale heart |
title_full |
Anatomy and vasculature of a minke whale heart |
title_fullStr |
Anatomy and vasculature of a minke whale heart |
title_full_unstemmed |
Anatomy and vasculature of a minke whale heart |
title_sort |
anatomy and vasculature of a minke whale heart |
publisher |
Wiley |
publishDate |
1984 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/aja.1001690205 https://api.wiley.com/onlinelibrary/tdm/v1/articles/10.1002%2Faja.1001690205 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/aja.1001690205 |
genre |
Balaenoptera acutorostrata baleen whale minke whale |
genre_facet |
Balaenoptera acutorostrata baleen whale minke whale |
op_source |
American Journal of Anatomy volume 169, issue 2, page 165-175 ISSN 0002-9106 1553-0795 |
op_rights |
http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1002/aja.1001690205 |
container_title |
American Journal of Anatomy |
container_volume |
169 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
165 |
op_container_end_page |
175 |
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1793765905722769408 |