Physiological Characteristics of Pika (Ochotona rufescens rufescens) as a Weak Heat Tolerant Animal

概要

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Since 1985, Afghan pika (Ochotona rufescens rufescens) provided by the Central Institute for Experimental Animals, Japan, has individually been reared in P_2-facilities at 22℃, in the Animal Research Center for Infectious Tropical Diseases, Institute of Tropical Medicine, Nagasaki University. The morphological characteristics and thermoregulatory functions of Afghan pikas such as the constitutionally short rounded ears, a small tail, extremely thin abdominal skin, moderate LPS-pyrogenic response, high metabolic rate, poor heat dissipation and high body temperature, as compared to albino rabbits, enable them to ecologically adapt to cold- and high altitude-environments. However, recent studies have reported that the pika has weak heat tolerance and is sensitive to heat. The present study, therefore, was designed to elucidate weak heat tolerance in the Afghan pika through cellular, cardiovascular, thermophysiological and morphological approaches to reveal that the mechanism of weak heat-tolerance in Afghan pika might be closely related to lack of autonomic heat loss response, such as thermal panting and salivation, as well as difficulty of induction of heat-tolerant substances, the so-called heat shock proteins (HSPs). Also, these morphological, cardiovascular findings were compared to those of the wild Chinese pika and discussed from the viewpoint of thermal physiology.
長崎大学熱帯医学研究所の論文
1990-12-28