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Allometric scaling relationship between frequency of intestinal contraction and body size in rodents and rabbits

Journal of Biosciences volume 38, pages 391–395 (2013)Cite this article

Abstract

This study aimed to establish an allometric scaling relationship between the frequency of intestinal contractions and body mass of different mammalian species. The frequency of intestinal contractions of rabbit, guinea pig, rat and mouse were measured using an isolated organ system. The isolated rings were prepared from proximal segments of jejunums and the frequency of contractions was recorded by an isometric force procedure. The coefficients of the obtained allometric equation were ascertained by computation of least squares after logarithmic transformation of both body mass and frequency. Significant differences (p < 0.001) were shown in the frequency of contractions between different species. The highest frequency that corresponded to the mice was 57.7 min−1 and the 95% confidence interval (CI) ranged from 45.4 to 70, while rabbits showed the lowest frequency (12.71 min−1, CI: 8.6–16.8). Logarithms of frequency were statistically proportional to logarithms of body mass (r = 0.99; p < 0.001). The data fitted an equation \( \mathrm{F}=18.51{{\mathrm{B}}^{-0.31 }} \) and the 95% confidence interval of the exponent ranged from −0.30 to −0.32. The results of this study suggest that it is probably possible to extrapolate the intestinal contraction frequency of other mammalian species by the means of allometry scaling.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful to the University of Tehran for their support to conduct this work. We also thank Ms Mansoureh Baharloo for her technical assistance.

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Affiliations

  1. Department of Pharmacology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Tehran University, Tehran, Iran

    Hossein-Ali Arab & Samad Muhammadnejad

  2. Department of Basic Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Semnan University, Semnan, Iran

    Saeideh Naeimi

  3. School of Electrical and Computer Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

    Attieh Arab

Authors
  1. Hossein-Ali Arab
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  2. Samad Muhammadnejad
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  3. Saeideh Naeimi
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  4. Attieh Arab
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Hossein-Ali Arab.

Additional information

MS received 17 September 2012; accepted 29 January 2013

Corresponding editor: Stuart A Newman

[Arab H-A, Muhammadnejad S, Naeimi S and Arab A 2013 Allometric scaling relationship between frequency of intestinal contraction and body size in rodents and rabbits. J. Biosci. 38 1–5] DOI 10.1007/s12038-013-9307-x

Corresponding editor: STUART A NEWMAN

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Arab, HA., Muhammadnejad, S., Naeimi, S. et al. Allometric scaling relationship between frequency of intestinal contraction and body size in rodents and rabbits. J Biosci 38, 391–395 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-013-9307-x

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12038-013-9307-x

Keywords

  • Allometry
  • basic electrical rhythm
  • body mass
  • intestinal contractions