Cryorheology of reindeer blood¹

Article type: Research Article

Authors: Halikas, George C.^{; *}

Affiliations: Institute of Arctic Biology, University of Alaska, College, Alaska 99701, U.S.A.

Note: [1] This work was supported in part by USPHS Grant GM 10402 and by a Grant-in-Aid from the American Heart Association.

Note: [*] Present Address: Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School and Peter Bent Brigham Hospital, Boston, Mass. 02115.

Abstract: Studies of rheological properties of blood of temperate zone mammals including man has revealed that there is little species difference. One Arctic animal, the reindeer (Rangifer tarandus) exhibits an elevated blood viscosity, especially at low temperatures. Possibly this property, which tends to reduce blood flow, is a part of a heat conservation mechanism.

DOI: 10.3233/BIR-1972-9207

Journal: Biorheology, vol. 9, no. 2, pp. 105-113, 1972