Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

Changes in fibrinolytic activity in diving grey seals

S Lohman1, L P Folkow, B Osterud

  • 1Department of Arctic Biology, Medical Faculty, University of Tromsø, Norway. susannal@fagmed.uit.no

Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology. Part A, Molecular & Integrative Physiology
|November 26, 1998
PubMed
Summary

Diving seals do not show enhanced fibrinolytic activity to prevent blood clotting. Instead, clot lysis time increases during dives, indicating reduced fibrinolytic activity, contrary to the initial hypothesis.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Experience with the Ketogenic Diet in a Boy with <i>CLCN4</i> Related Neurodevelopmental Disorder.

Balkan journal of medical genetics : BJMG·2024
Same author

Evaluation of the signs and symptoms of pseudotumor cerebri syndrome in pediatric population.

Child's nervous system : ChNS : official journal of the International Society for Pediatric Neurosurgery·2021
Same author

The key roles of complement and tissue factor in Escherichia coli-induced coagulation in human whole blood.

Clinical and experimental immunology·2015
Same author

Procoagulant and proinflammatory effects of red blood cells on lipopolysaccharide-stimulated monocytes.

Journal of thrombosis and haemostasis : JTH·2015
Same author

Alterations in markers of coagulation and fibrinolysis in patients with Paroxysmal Nocturnal Hemoglobinuria before and during treatment with eculizumab.

Thrombosis research·2015
Same author

Circadian rhythms of hemostatic factors in tetraplegia: a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled cross-over study of melatonin.

Spinal cord·2015

Area of Science:

  • Physiology
  • Marine Mammal Biology
  • Hemostasis

Background:

  • Diving mammals face physiological challenges, including potential risks of blood coagulation due to reduced blood flow and stress responses.
  • It was hypothesized that enhanced fibrinolytic activity might prevent blood clotting in diving seals.
  • Understanding the hemostatic mechanisms in diving seals is crucial for marine mammal physiology and comparative hematology.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of fibrinolytic activity in preventing blood clotting in grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) during simulated dives.
  • To test the hypothesis that enhanced fibrinolytic activity is a key factor in the blood of diving seals.

Main Methods:

  • Two female grey seals were instrumented for heart rate (HR) and blood sampling via an extradural intravertebral venous catheter.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Blood samples were collected before, during, and after 10-minute simulated dives.
  • In vitro clot lysis time (CLT) was measured to assess fibrinolytic activity; plasma cortisol, noradrenaline, and adrenaline (A) levels were also analyzed.

    • Main Results:

    • Seals exhibited profound diving bradycardia (HR reduced from 78 to 8 bpm) and elevated catecholamine levels (adrenaline increased significantly).
    • These physiological changes (bradycardia, high catecholamines) typically promote blood coagulation.
    • Clot lysis time (CLT) consistently increased during diving (from 436 to 1380 min), indicating reduced fibrinolytic activity.

    Conclusions:

    • Enhanced fibrinolytic activity is not a mechanism used by diving grey seals to prevent blood clotting.
    • The observed increase in CLT suggests a decrease in fibrinolytic activity during dives.
    • The findings refute the hypothesis and indicate that other physiological adaptations likely manage hemostasis during diving.