Age and altitude tolerance in rats: temperature, plasma enzymes, and corticosterone. 1981

P D Altland, and B A Rattner

Tolerance to a 4-h altitude exposure (6,096-8,230 m) was determined in immature, young, and old male rats. The critical survival thresholds were 8,230 m for immature rats and 7,620 m for young and old rats. Hypothermia in immature rats was directly related to hypoxic severity. Body weight loss, elevated plasma corticosterone concentration, and a mean body temperature of 32.5 degrees C were characteristics of immature rats that survived at the critical threshold. Body temperature, weight change, and plasma corticosterone concentration were similar at all altitudes in young adult and old rats. Plasma enzyme activities were relatively unchanged in immature rats, but aspartate aminotransferase (EC 2.6.1.1) and lactate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.27) activities in old rats, in addition to fructose-diphosphate aldolase (EC 4.1.2.13) activity in young adults, were initially elevated (P less than 0.05) at the critical survival threshold (7,620 m). Body temperature and plasma corticosterone (but not plasma enzyme activities) are important criteria for determining altitude tolerance of immature rats. However, plasma asparatate aminotransferase and lactate dehydrogenase activities are more suitable criteria for assessing tolerance in young adult and old rats.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007770 L-Lactate Dehydrogenase A tetrameric enzyme that, along with the coenzyme NAD+, catalyzes the interconversion of LACTATE and PYRUVATE. In vertebrates, genes for three different subunits (LDH-A, LDH-B and LDH-C) exist. Lactate Dehydrogenase,Dehydrogenase, L-Lactate,Dehydrogenase, Lactate,L Lactate Dehydrogenase
D008297 Male Males
D001833 Body Temperature Regulation The processes of heating and cooling that an organism uses to control its temperature. Heat Loss,Thermoregulation,Regulation, Body Temperature,Temperature Regulation, Body,Body Temperature Regulations,Heat Losses,Loss, Heat,Losses, Heat,Regulations, Body Temperature,Temperature Regulations, Body,Thermoregulations
D001835 Body Weight The mass or quantity of heaviness of an individual. It is expressed by units of pounds or kilograms. Body Weights,Weight, Body,Weights, Body
D003345 Corticosterone An adrenocortical steroid that has modest but significant activities as a mineralocorticoid and a glucocorticoid. (From Goodman and Gilman's The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 8th ed, p1437)
D003402 Creatine Kinase A transferase that catalyzes formation of PHOSPHOCREATINE from ATP + CREATINE. The reaction stores ATP energy as phosphocreatine. Three cytoplasmic ISOENZYMES have been identified in human tissues: the MM type from SKELETAL MUSCLE, the MB type from myocardial tissue and the BB type from nervous tissue as well as a mitochondrial isoenzyme. Macro-creatine kinase refers to creatine kinase complexed with other serum proteins. Creatine Phosphokinase,ADP Phosphocreatine Phosphotransferase,ATP Creatine Phosphotransferase,Macro-Creatine Kinase,Creatine Phosphotransferase, ATP,Kinase, Creatine,Macro Creatine Kinase,Phosphocreatine Phosphotransferase, ADP,Phosphokinase, Creatine,Phosphotransferase, ADP Phosphocreatine,Phosphotransferase, ATP Creatine
D005634 Fructose-Bisphosphate Aldolase An enzyme of the lyase class that catalyzes the cleavage of fructose 1,6-biphosphate to form dihydroxyacetone phosphate and glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate. The enzyme also acts on (3S,4R)-ketose 1-phosphates. The yeast and bacterial enzymes are zinc proteins. (Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992) E.C. 4.1.2.13. Aldolase,Fructosediphosphate Aldolase,Aldolase A,Aldolase B,Aldolase C,Fructose 1,6-Bisphosphate Aldolase,Fructose 1,6-Bisphosphate Aldolase, Class II,Fructose 1-Phosphate Aldolase,Fructose Biphosphate Aldolase,Fructosemonophosphate Aldolase,1,6-Bisphosphate Aldolase, Fructose,Aldolase, Fructose 1,6-Bisphosphate,Aldolase, Fructose 1-Phosphate,Aldolase, Fructose Biphosphate,Aldolase, Fructose-Bisphosphate,Aldolase, Fructosediphosphate,Aldolase, Fructosemonophosphate,Fructose 1 Phosphate Aldolase,Fructose 1,6 Bisphosphate Aldolase,Fructose Bisphosphate Aldolase
D000375 Aging The gradual irreversible changes in structure and function of an organism that occur as a result of the passage of time. Senescence,Aging, Biological,Biological Aging
D000410 Alanine Transaminase An enzyme that catalyzes the conversion of L-alanine and 2-oxoglutarate to pyruvate and L-glutamate. (From Enzyme Nomenclature, 1992) EC 2.6.1.2. Alanine Aminotransferase,Glutamic-Pyruvic Transaminase,SGPT,Alanine-2-Oxoglutarate Aminotransferase,Glutamic-Alanine Transaminase,Alanine 2 Oxoglutarate Aminotransferase,Aminotransferase, Alanine,Aminotransferase, Alanine-2-Oxoglutarate,Glutamic Alanine Transaminase,Glutamic Pyruvic Transaminase,Transaminase, Alanine,Transaminase, Glutamic-Alanine,Transaminase, Glutamic-Pyruvic
D000532 Altitude Sickness Multiple symptoms associated with reduced oxygen at high ALTITUDE. Mountain Sickness,Altitude Hypoxia,Altitude Hypoxias,Hypoxia, Altitude,Sickness, Altitude,Sickness, Mountain

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