Nitrogen Solubility in Adipose Tissues of Diving Animals: Implications for Human Divers and for Modeling Diving Physiology
Abstract
There is currently little information on how N2 solubility in adipose tissue varies with its lipid composition, and how it varies across species. We proposed to generate these much-needed empirical data by comparing nitrogen solubility in the adipose of marine mammals, seabirds, and turtles, and in mammals used as models for diving physiology, as well as human tissue, in conjunction with the degree of microvascularity (exchange surface). We found considerable variation across species/animal groups in nitrogen solubility, lipid composition, and microvascular components. While for most species (those lacking waxes and short branched chain fatty acids/alcohols) it may be appropriate to use a "standard" value for nitrogen solubility around our overall mean of 0.064 , this does not apply to all animal groups (e.g. seabirds, had very low values- 0.055) . Also, nitrogen solubility values for the human and pig samples were very similar, making it tempting to use a value of- 0.064- 0.065 for any diving physiology models inducting adipose as a compartment in terrestrial mammals. However we advise caution, given the small sample size and the variability in solubility values among the marine species. Therefore it is important to obtain representative nitrogen solubility values for taxonomic groups not yet examined.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 2016
- Accession Number
- AD1023017
Entities
People
- Andrew Westgate
- Heather N Koopman
- Molly K Gabler