Distribution and morphology of ventricular bands in the hearts of ringed seals

• Published in: Anatomia, Histologia, Embryologia
• Main Author: Laakkonen, Juha
• Other Authors: Biosciences, Veterinary Biosciences, Teachers' Academy, Veterinary Anatomy and Developmental Biology
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: WILEY-BLACKWELL VERLAG GMBH 2021
• Subjects: FALSE TENDONS; anatomy; histology; 413 Veterinary science; 1184 Genetics; developmental biology; physiology; Pusa hispida; ringed seal
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10138/332428

In contrast to studies on domestic animals, few reports describe ventricular bands in wildlife, and none in aquatic mammals. Ventricular bands in the endangered Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis) and the Baltic ringed seal (Pusa hispida botnica) were examined as part of an ongoing research on the comparative anatomy of ringed seal subspecies. The dissections illustrated that a varying number of thin or thick ventricular bands from the papillary muscles to the ventricular walls were visible in the ventricles of all ringed seal specimens examined. The histological appearance of the ventricular bands was characterized by a fibromuscular pattern. Peer reviewed