3 ms·
What a fascinating creature! >To compensate for the absence of hemoglobin, icefish have adapted: >Larger blood vessels (including capillaries) and low-viscosi
by Mistletoe 2y ago
What a fascinating creature!
>To compensate for the absence of hemoglobin, icefish have adapted:
>Larger blood vessels (including capillaries) and low-viscosity (RBC-free) blood to enable very high flow rates at low pressures.
>Greater blood volumes (four times those of other fish)
>Larger hearts with greater cardiac outputs (five times greater) compared to other fish.
>Hearts lacking coronary arteries, and the ventricle muscles are very spongy, which enables them to absorb oxygen directly from the blood they pump.
>Larger cardiac mitochondria and increased mitochondrial biogenesis to facilitate enhanced oxygen delivery by increasing mitochondrial surface area, and reducing distance between the extracellular area and the mitochondria in comparison to red-blooded notothenioids.