PWee50 oxygen equilibrium curve analyzer

本拨款申请中要求的资金用于支持购买PWee50氧平衡曲线分析仪（PWee50分析仪），用于量化血液的氧运输特性，后者代表动物能够适应和/或适应不同环境挑战的最重要水平之一，这是共同申请人的共同研究主题。PWee50分析仪的独特之处在于它可以在非常小的体积（0.5 μ l）上生成全血或分离血红蛋白的完整氧平衡曲线，快速（在1小时内）以全自动方式。此外，与以前的分光光度法系统（已不再市售）不同，该系统可以解释鱼类Hbs的高pH敏感性，即根效应。该系统是由C.J.布劳纳、A.P.法雷尔、W.K.米索姆和J.G.理查兹资助的NSERC发现基金研究项目的重要核心组成部分。C.J.布劳纳将使用PWee50分析仪进一步研究与根效应相关的鱼类氧气输送新机制，以及鱼类特殊二氧化碳耐受性的生理基础。A.P. Farrell将使用PWee50分析仪进一步了解鱼类在极温暖温度下的心肺功能以及鱼类对缺氧和缺氧的心脏耐受机制。W.K. Milsom依靠PWee50分析仪来深入了解与冬眠和高空飞行相关的适应性，通过对胚胎、新生儿、成年冬眠动物和非冬眠动物的血液特征，以及对高海拔和低海拔水禽的多物种比较。J.G. Richards将进一步研究分布在近岸海洋环境中的11种潮间带小鱼（一种小型潮间带鱼类）的耐缺氧机制和进化。PWee50分析仪是唯一的市售系统，可以对小体积血液进行拟议的测量，这是NSERC资助的拟议研究的先决条件。

The funding requested in this grant application is to support the purchase of a PWee50 oxygen equilibrium curve Analyser (PWee50 Analyser) for quantifying the oxygen transport characteristics of the blood, the latter of which represents one of the most important levels at which animals can adapt and/or acclimate to different environmental challenges, a common research theme of the co-applicants. The PWee50 Analyser is unique in that it can generate a complete oxygen equilibrium curve on whole blood or isolated haemoglobins on very small volumes (0.5 µl), rapidly (within 1h) in a fully automated fashion. Furthermore, unlike previous spectrophotometric systems (which are no longer commercially available), this system can account for the high pH sensitivity of fish Hbs known as the Root effect. This system is an essential core component of the NSERC Discovery Grant funded research programs of C.J. Brauner, A.P. Farrell, W.K. Milsom and J.G. Richards. C.J. Brauner will use the PWee50 Analyser to further investigate a novel mechanism for enhanced oxygen delivery in fishes associated with the Root effect and the physiological basis for exceptional CO2 tolerance in fish. A.P. Farrell will use the PWee50 Analyser to further understand the cardiorespiratory function of fish at extremely warm temperatures and the mechanisms for cardiac tolerance of hypoxia and anoxia among fishes. W.K. Milsom depends upon the PWee50 Analyser to gain insight into adaptations related to hibernation and high altitude flight by characterizing the blood of embryonic, neonatal and adult hibernators and non-hibernators and in a multi-species comparison of high and low altitude water-fowl. J.G. Richards will further investigate the mechanisms and evolution of hypoxia tolerance in 11 species of sculpin (a group of small intertidal fish), which are distributed along the near shore marine environment. The PWee50 Analyser is the only commercially available system that can conduct the proposed measurements on small volumes of blood which is a pre-requisite for this NSERC funded proposed research.