Life Lines by Dr. Dolittle

Tag Archive for ‘Tibet’

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Can carbon monoxide be a good thing at high altitude?

Although carbon monoxide inhalation is dangerous because it can cause blood poisoning, research suggests that production of carbon monoxide in the body may actually protect cells during exposure to hypoxic environments as well as during ischemic-reperfusion injuries. Carbon monoxide is produced in the body by the enzyme heme oxygenase. This enzyme is responsible for converting heme into biliverdin and generates carbon monoxide in the process. Interestingly, carbon monoxide levels are […]

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Life at the top

Moving to high altitude requires a bit of an adjustment. One of the ways our bodies adjust to the low levels of oxygen is by making more red blood cells, which are responsible for transporting oxygen in the body. More red blood cells means that our blood can pick up more oxygen. If this process continues unchecked, however, it can lead to chronic mountain sickness, also known as Monge’s Disease. […]

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Featuring: Ohio Physiological Society

This week we are featuring the Ohio Physiological Society. They held their 35th annual meeting September 17-18, 2021. The Ohio Physiological Society is a chapter of the American Physiological Society that was founded in 1986 and brings together physiologists from across the state. Dr. Cynthia Beall, PhD, Distinguished University Professor and Sara Idell Pyle Professor of Anthropology as well as Co-Director of the Center for Research on Tibet at Case […]

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High altitude survival and adaptation

Life at high altitude presents unique physiological challenges for organisms that were explored in a recent review published in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology. For placental mammals, offspring born at high altitude (>2500 m above sea level) typically weigh less at birth compared to lowland animals. Fetal growth restriction is problematic as it is associated with long-term health risks and reduced survival. It is […]

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Remarkable hypoxia and cold tolerance of rodents native to the Tibetan plateau

The plateau zokor (Eospalax baileyi) is an underground dwelling rodent species native to the Tibetan plateau (2000-4200 meters in elevation). A new study published in the American Journal of Physiology – Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology explored how these animals were adapted to extract oxygen from an environment with very low levels (83-88% of atmospheric). Hemoglobin molecules found in red blood cells are responsible for binding oxygen and transporting it to tissues […]

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