Why is it that dogs don't get frostbite on the pads of their feet? That's pretty tough skin, but in the cold arctic winter, or even the relatively mild winters of the Midwest, dogs don't get frostbite or even suffer much if any damage to their pads when outside. Researchers have some up with a reason why they can MAINTAIN HOMEOSTASIS in the exposed regions of their pads. It has to do with a phenomenon called countercurrent exchange. This is something that is relatively common in different animals for heat exchange (like the dog's pads).
Read the article and comment upon the research and what you think they'll find if they look in other species (think both cold climate and hot climate species). Also identify some other ways that organisms use countercurrent exchange. One more, see if humans have used this in any inventions and comment upon that.
If scientists begin to look at blood vessels inside other animal species, I think that they would find their results to be similar to what they have already found in dogs. I think that they will find the exchange of heat created by the veins and arteries will be alike or even the same as what they have found in dogs species. In animals that are found in cold climates, I think there might be a greater heat exchange process achieved. However, the animals in the hotter climate could have a less countercurrent exchange because they will not be in need of the heat to keep their paws or feet warm unlike the animals in the colder climates.
ReplyDeletePenguins use this countercurrent exchange in a similar manner compared to the dogs and other species of cold climate animals. However, sea and desert birds use the countercurrent exchange in a completely different way. They use this process to remove excess salt from entering the body when they are eating, swimming, or diving into the sea for their food. It also allows these birds to drink the salty water because their kidneys are unable to filter out all of the excess salt in the water.
Humans have indeed used the process of countercurrent exchange for several inventions. To name a few inventions might include space heaters, refrigerators, air conditioners, powerplants, natural gas processing, and sewage treatments. Researchers have studied the countercurrent exchange in animals and found a way to use a similar process in order to create these invetions.
-Miranda Cupples
Scientists in Japan have discovered a heating mechanism in dog's paws.. The CounterCurrent Heat Exchange. If a human went running outside in the snow barefooted, she would get frostbite. However, when a dog does it, its paws are perfectly fine. It is because of the blood vessels in its paws. The veins in the paws run right next to the arteries which keeps the veins warmed. The blood vessels open and close with the change of temperature. They allow more or less blood flow wherever it needs it. Arctice foxes and wolves have a boost in their blood flow to keep their paws warm. Actually, dogs and penguins both have the countercurrent heat exchange, surpisingly.
ReplyDelete