Cardiac enzymes related to high-altitude hypoxic adaptation in Tibetan chicken / 中国应用生理学杂志

ABSTRACT

<p><b>AIM</b>The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the cardiac physiological characteristics for adaptation to high-altitude hypoxia in chickens.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Tibetan, Dwarf Recessive White and Shouguang chickens were fed at low-and high-altitude, and measurements were made in heart weights, lactic acid (LA), lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), and succinate dehydrogenase (SDH) at the age of 10 weeks.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The results showed that Tibetan chickens at high-altitude had lower heart weight and LA content, and similar LDH activity, and higher SDH activity when compared to Dwarf Recessive White and Shouguang chickens.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>It was concluded that the cardiac mechanisms of high-altitude hypoxic adaptation in Tibetan chickens were increasing neither heart weight, nor level of anaerobic metabolism, but the higher SDH activity was significant to the adaptation. The SDH was a symbol enzyme for hypoxic adaptation in Tibetan chicken.</p>