Rainbow trout are able to mount an immune response after simply smelling a virus or bacteria, even before they are infected. In a new study shared at the 2023 American Physiology Summit, researchers examined whether smell-induced activation of the immune response also triggers avoidance behaviors in the fish. By creating a maze that included a pathogen at one end, they discovered that the fish do in fact avoid the smell […]
As frogs develop, their intestines become shorter and the cells on the inner lining of the intestine change. Researchers have suspected that these changes help the animals transition from a diet consisting of mainly algae as a tadpole to a carnivorous diet in adulthood. This was the subject of a recent study published in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, which examined how the intestine […]
Admittedly, this is not necessarily a comparative physiology topic. But I couldn’t help exploring this idea as I am munching on a chocolate chip cookie that smelled just too appetizing to walk by. Some restaurants have been accused of intentionally “pumping” out enticing smells to attract customers. After all, the aromas of cooking and baking can attract hungry customers, as well as those who had no intention of seeking out […]
Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle 