Procurou-se confirmar a existência de alterações estruturais em corpos carotídeos de ratos expostos à hiperóxia que pudessem explicar a atenuação da resposta fisiológica à hipóxia nessas condições descrita na literatura. Também testamos a hipótese de haver um desvio de fluxo sanguíneo para os capilares intraglômicos em situações de hiperoxigenação hiperbárica.15 ratos machos Wistar adultos foram divididos em 3 grupos e expostos a 2,4 ATA por 6 horas, a 3,0 ATA por 6 horas e a ar ambiente (grupo controle). Os resultados obtidos através de análise histológica e morfométrica mostraram: a) nenhuma alteração da arquitetura dos corpos carotídeos, mas as células expostas à dose mais elevada apresentaram-se com citoplasma desarranjado, confirmado pela microscopia eletrônica; b) um aumento significativo da densidade volumétrica de capilares preenchidos por hemácias, mas não do estroma intersticial, no grupo exposto à dose mais elevada de O2 c) uma vasoconstricção significativa das arteríolas maiores em todas as doses de oxigênio empregadas no estudo e das arteríolas menores na dose mais elevada de O2; d) variações significativas na proporção das variantes de células glômicas no grupo exposto a menor dose de O2; e) mitocôndrias com poucas cristas, tanto nas células glômicas quanto nas terminações nervosas, embora nas primeiras apresentem-se bem deformadas; f) proliferação membranosa citoplasmática com aumento de REG e Golgi nas células glômicas e sustentaculares. Esses resultados sugerem um desvio do fluxo dos vasos mais calibrosos em direção aos capilares intraglômicos, confirmando nossa hipótese inicial e indicam que o oxigênio, dependendo da dose utilizada, exerce um efeito tóxico importante sobre os corpos carotídeos, com alterações significativas da ultraestrutura das células glômicas e terminações nervosas. / We sough to confirm the existence of structural alterations in rat carotid bodies exposed to hyperoxia that could explain the attenuation of the ventilatory hypoxic drive (HD) by hyperoxic conditions described in the literature. We also tested the hypothesis of there being a deviation of blood flow toward intraglomic capillaries in situations of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO).15 adult male Wistar rats were divided in 3 groups and exposed to O2 at 2.4 ATA for 6 hours, at 3.0 ATA for 6 hours and to air at 1.0 ATA (control group). The results obtained through histological and morphometric analysis showed: a) no alteration in the architecture of the carotid bodies, but the cytoplasm of the cells exposed to the highest dose were disarranged, a feature confirmed by electron microscopy; b) a significant increase in volume density of capillaries filled out by red blood cells but not of interstitial stroma in the group exposed to O2 at the highest dose; c) a significant vasoconstriction of larger arterioles in all doses of oxygen employed in the study and of smaller arterioles at the highest dose of O2; d) significant variations in the proportion of glomic cell variants in the group exposed to the lowest dose of O2; e) mitochondria with few cristae, so in glomic cells as in nerve-endings, although in the former they were very deformed; f) cytoplasmic membranous proliferation with an increase of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus in glomic and sustentacular cells. These results suggest a deviation of blood flow from more calibrated vessel toward intraglomic capillaries, confirming our initial hypothesis and indicate that oxygen, depending on the dose used, exerts an important toxic effect on rat carotid body with significant alterations of glomic cell and nerve-endings ultrastructure.

Procurou-se confirmar a existência de alterações estruturais em corpos carotídeos de ratos expostos à hiperóxia que pudessem explicar a atenuação da resposta fisiológica à hipóxia nessas condições descrita na literatura. Também testamos a hipótese de haver um desvio de fluxo sanguíneo para os capilares intraglômicos em situações de hiperoxigenação hiperbárica.15 ratos machos Wistar adultos foram divididos em 3 grupos e expostos a 2,4 ATA por 6 horas, a 3,0 ATA por 6 horas e a ar ambiente (grupo controle). Os resultados obtidos através de análise histológica e morfométrica mostraram: a) nenhuma alteração da arquitetura dos corpos carotídeos, mas as células expostas à dose mais elevada apresentaram-se com citoplasma desarranjado, confirmado pela microscopia eletrônica; b) um aumento significativo da densidade volumétrica de capilares preenchidos por hemácias, mas não do estroma intersticial, no grupo exposto à dose mais elevada de O2 c) uma vasoconstricção significativa das arteríolas maiores em todas as doses de oxigênio empregadas no estudo e das arteríolas menores na dose mais elevada de O2; d) variações significativas na proporção das variantes de células glômicas no grupo exposto a menor dose de O2; e) mitocôndrias com poucas cristas, tanto nas células glômicas quanto nas terminações nervosas, embora nas primeiras apresentem-se bem deformadas; f) proliferação membranosa citoplasmática com aumento de REG e Golgi nas células glômicas e sustentaculares. Esses resultados sugerem um desvio do fluxo dos vasos mais calibrosos em direção aos capilares intraglômicos, confirmando nossa hipótese inicial e indicam que o oxigênio, dependendo da dose utilizada, exerce um efeito tóxico importante sobre os corpos carotídeos, com alterações significativas da ultraestrutura das células glômicas e terminações nervosas. / We sough to confirm the existence of structural alterations in rat carotid bodies exposed to hyperoxia that could explain the attenuation of the ventilatory hypoxic drive (HD) by hyperoxic conditions described in the literature. We also tested the hypothesis of there being a deviation of blood flow toward intraglomic capillaries in situations of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO).15 adult male Wistar rats were divided in 3 groups and exposed to O2 at 2.4 ATA for 6 hours, at 3.0 ATA for 6 hours and to air at 1.0 ATA (control group). The results obtained through histological and morphometric analysis showed: a) no alteration in the architecture of the carotid bodies, but the cytoplasm of the cells exposed to the highest dose were disarranged, a feature confirmed by electron microscopy; b) a significant increase in volume density of capillaries filled out by red blood cells but not of interstitial stroma in the group exposed to O2 at the highest dose; c) a significant vasoconstriction of larger arterioles in all doses of oxygen employed in the study and of smaller arterioles at the highest dose of O2; d) significant variations in the proportion of glomic cell variants in the group exposed to the lowest dose of O2; e) mitochondria with few cristae, so in glomic cells as in nerve-endings, although in the former they were very deformed; f) cytoplasmic membranous proliferation with an increase of endoplasmic reticulum and Golgi apparatus in glomic and sustentacular cells. These results suggest a deviation of blood flow from more calibrated vessel toward intraglomic capillaries, confirming our initial hypothesis and indicate that oxygen, depending on the dose used, exerts an important toxic effect on rat carotid body with significant alterations of glomic cell and nerve-endings ultrastructure.

This study examines the effects of a low oxygen environment, in concert with fluctuating temperature and salinity conditions, on the nearshore depth distributions (0-1 m) and flood tide movements of juvenile chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and chum (O. keta) salmon. Comparisons are made between an unpolluted and a sewage polluted estuarine intertidal flat in the Fraser River estuary, British Columbia, the polluted area being characterized by the regular occurrence of low dissolved oxygen levels. Results are based on 380 beach seine samples taken between April and June of 1984. In general, chum and chinook salmon of increasing length were captured in increasing depths, though this pattern was modified by seasonal changes in water temperature. Low dissolved oxygen conditions in deeper waters may have been responsible for the presence of larger, and often sluggishly swimming fish in higher oxygenated surface water layers or in shallow waters near the shore. In both areas, the risk of aerial predation was high. On a flood tide, the likelihood of capturing a chinook salmon was reduced as temperatures increased and oxygen levels decreased. A combination of avoidance behaviour and a regularity in the movement patterns of chinook onto the study area in the later stages of the flood tide may account for their rare occurrence in low oxygen concentrations (<6 mg/1) and high temperatures (>20 °C). Fish mortalities were most likely to occur on the ebb tide when fish were forced into waters of low oxygen content by the drainage patterns characteristic of the polluted study area. Though wide ranges in salinity were recorded on both tidal flats, this factor was not strongly correlated to Chinook distributions. However, significantly higher salinity levels in the unpolluted area may account for the greater numbers of chum salmon captured there. An understanding of the influence of estuarine water quality conditions on the distribution of juvenile salmonids may assist in the identification of significant sources of mortality in their early marine life. This knowledge is particularly important in the evaluation of water quality changes as caused by human activity. / Science, Faculty of / Zoology, Department of / Graduate

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