Ontogeny and Plasticity of Crustacean Cardiac Physiology

心血管系统是第一个在胚胎中具有功能的系统，紧随其后的是一系列相互依赖的相互作用，最终形成一个功能正常的成年人。由于心血管系统在氧气和二氧化碳运输中的重要性，其正常发育的变化可能会对成年人的功能产生关键影响。胚胎心血管系统的生理学与成人的有很大不同，因为随着胚胎的成熟，功能会发生变化。尽管心血管系统在胚胎功能中起着关键作用，但人们对环境如何影响其发育模式知之甚少。甲壳动物是一个对这项研究有用的有价值的分类类群，因为它们具有不同的发育模式和形态可塑性。Reiber博士的这项研究的目标有三个：首先，将测量胚胎和幼体小龙虾和虾在发育过程中的心脏功能(速率、压力和血流)，以建立进一步工作的基础。其次，将确定发育过程中心脏调节的机制。最后，一旦确定了心脏调节的基本发育模式，将通过将特定发育阶段的胚胎暴露于改变的条件(水、氧和温度)来研究与环境应激相关的心脏生理学的变化。这项研究将对了解心脏发育的基本模式和早期心功能对发育结果的影响做出重要贡献。

The cardiovascular system is the first to become functional in embryos and is followed by a series of interdependent interactions that result in a functional adult. As a result of the cardiovascular systems' importance in oxygen and carbon dioxide transport, a change in its normal development could have a critical impact on adult function. The physiology of embryonic cardiovascular systems is quite different from those of adults because functions change as the embryo matures. Despite the critical role the cardiovascular system plays in embryonic function, little is know about how the environment can effect its developmental pattern. Crustaceans present a valuable taxonomic group useful for this research because of their diverse array of developmental patterns and morphological plasticity. The objectives of this research by Dr. Reiber are three fold: First, measurements of cardiac functions during development (rates, pressures and flows) in embryonic and larval crayfish and shrimp will be made to establish a foundation on which further work can be initiated. Second, the mechanisms of cardiac regulation during development will be determined. And lastly, once basic developmental patterns of cardiac regulation have been determined, the changes in cardiac physiology associated with environmental stress will be investigated by exposing embryos of defined developmental stages to modified conditions (water oxygen and temperature). This research will make significant contributions toward understanding both the fundamental patterns of cardiac development and the impact of early cardiac function has on developmental outcomes.