Hamsters vs. rats: metabolic and ventilatory response to development in chronic hypoxia

The postnatal developments of the rat and hamster were compared after the animals were raised from birth for 21 days either in normoxia (control animals) or chronic hypoxia (PO2 of 80-90 Torr). Compared with control rats, hypoxic rats had a reduction in body mass. Hypoxic rats had lowered O2 consumption (VO2) and increased (67%) ventilation (VE), whereas hypoxic hamsters maintained the same metabolic rate as control hamsters but increased VE by 100%. As a result, when raised in hypoxia both species increased VE/VO2 to the same extent. When acutely exposed to hypoxia, control animals of both species increased VE (54-58%) and lowered VO2 (26%). Thus, whether the exposure to hypoxia is acute or chronic, both species hyperventilated (i.e., increased VE/VO2) to approximately the same degree. However, in the rat VO2 decreased similarly in both acute and chronic hypoxia, whereas in the hamster VO2 decreased with acute hypoxia but was maintained under chronic hypoxia. Within 1 day of the animals being returned to normoxia, metabolic and ventilatory parameters of hypoxic animals returned to control values. In conclusion, the semifossorial hamster seems better suited to development in chronic hypoxia than the surface-dwelling rat because by avoiding prolonged hypometabolism it can better maintain body growth.