COMPARISONS OF THE PERMANENT AND TEMPORARY RESPIRATORY SYSTEMS OF THE LLAMA AND DEER MOUSE
Llama (lama glama) |
Llama's are found in South America around the Andes Mountains, Chile and Peru. They are built to climb mountain terrain and rocky surfaces and can breathe with thin are at high altitudes. Llamas work at reduced capacity at low or high altitudes. Their red blood cells are egg shaped which increases the surface area available to hold more oxygen. Additionally, the oxygen is held at a lower surface tension and given up more easily to tissue the red blood cells supply. This results in a greater percentage of the oxygen the higher capacity red blood cells carry actually being used. They also have made adaptations in lowering P50 to help them more readily get oxygen from the environment, research has shown that Erythrocytes and high haemoglobin amounts helps the process of extracting oxygen, this makes the Lama have a higher level of oxygen, and smaller amounts of organic phosphate DPG. |
Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) |
The Deer Mouse (Peromyscus maniculatus) is a rodent which is native to North America but is widely spread across the continent and will usually be found in wooded areas or mountains. Deer mice usually nest up high in large hollow trees, they usually nest alone but will sometimes nest with a member of the opposite sex. Deer mice can usually live anywhere, which is mainly why they are so good at being able to adapt the haemoglobin polymorphism that they have utilized. Deer mice tend to have a low haemoglobin amount in their blood. Studies have shown that at high altitude, deer mice showed the highest blood oxygen relationship relating to a lower P50 amount. The deer mice share this similiar trait with the llamas as deer mice are able to take oxygen at low pressure, and have to balance this in order not to make it not possible for them to release the oxygen into the tissues.
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