Morphological adaptations of the heart to increased body size in reptiles
| Grant number: | 16/20158-6 |
| Support type: | Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctorate |
| Effective date (Start): | June 01, 2017 |
| Effective date (End): | March 15, 2020 |
| Field of knowledge: | Biological Sciences - Physiology |
| Cooperation agreement: | Coordination of Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) |
| Principal Investigator: | Cléo Alcantara Costa Leite |
| Grantee: | Renato Filogonio |
| Home Institution: | Centro de Ciências Biológicas e da Saúde (CCBS). Universidade Federal de São Carlos (UFSCAR). São Carlos , SP, Brazil |
| Associated scholarship(s): | 18/11036-0 - Morphological adaptations of the heart to increased body size in reptiles, BE.EP.PD |
Abstract Reptiles may experience drastic growth rates. In these very large organisms, blood flow may be impaired as the Poiseuille's equation indicates that resistance to flow increases with tube length. As arterial pressures increase with body mass, a bigger pressure drop is present in these organisms. However, if in one hand the heart needs to generate a higher pressure, on the other hand the vascular system needs to adapt to resist to elevated tensions. These adaptations are more urgent in the species with partial ventricular separation, as high pressures tend to cause edemas in the pulmonary circulation. Here, I intend to study the morphological variations in the arteries and the heart given the large difference in body size and mass experienced by reptiles, and how it affects baroreflex regulation. I also intend to acquire a better understanding of how pressure is generated by describing the cardiomyocyte fibers conformation in different species. Finally, I suggest a study to comprehend how the venous system adapts to regulate venous return in response to increased body mass. This project will count with the collaboration of several research groups including those from Prof. Dr. Cléo Leite (UFSCar), Prof. Dr. Fernando Paiva (USP), Prof. Dr. Tobias Wang (Aarhus University), Prof. Dr. Dane Crossley II (Universidade de North Texas), and Prof. Dr. Augusto Abe (UNESP), and also the collaboration of the Prof. Dr. Edwin W. Taylor who have a PEV- CNPq grant to work with Cleo Leite's research group. (AU) | |