Abstract.
Little is known of the cardiovascular functions of prostaglandins in non-mammalian vertebrates. There are indications that prostaglandins may have a function in haemostasis by constricting blood vessels in filament arteries in the fish gill after injury. Our aim was to examine the cardiovascular effect of the prostaglandins F2 α (PGF2 α) and E2 (PGE2) with emphasis on branchial circulation. Intra-arterial injections of PGF2 α (10, 40, 160, 400 nmol kg–1) in cod caused a dose-dependent increase in ventral aortic blood pressure, a reduction in cardiac output, and an increase in gill vascular resistance. A contraction of filament arteries was observed with in vivo microscopy only seconds after injection. PGF2 α may therefore possibly be involved in a haemostatic vasoconstriction. In contrast, the most significant effects of PGE2 appeared to be on the heart. PGE2 also reduced dorsal aortic blood pressure.
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Stensløkken, .KO., Sundin, .L. & Nilsson, .G. Cardiovascular effects of prostaglandin F2α and prostaglandin E2 in Atlantic cod (Gadus morhua). J Comp Physiol B 172, 363–369 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-002-0258-z
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00360-002-0258-z