Mitochondrial responses to prolonged anoxia in brain of red-eared slider turtles.

ABSTRACT: Mitochondria are central to aerobic energy production and play a key role in neuronal signalling. During anoxia, however, the mitochondria of most vertebrates initiate deleterious cell death cascades. Nonetheless, a handful of vertebrate species, including some freshwater turtles, are remarkably tolerant of low oxygen environments and survive months of anoxia without apparent damage to brain tissue. This tolerance suggests that mitochondria in the brains of such species are adapted to withstand prolonged anoxia, but little is known about potential neuroprotective responses. In this study, we address such mechanisms by comparing mitochondrial function between brain tissues isolated from cold-acclimated red-eared slider turtles (Trachemys scripta elegans) exposed to two weeks of either normo

SUBMITTER: Pamenter ME 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4785919 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature