Cardiophysiological responses of the air-breathing Alaska blackfish to cold acclimation and chronic hypoxic submergence at 5°C.

The Alaska blackfish () remains active at cold temperatures when experiencing aquatic hypoxia without air access. To discern the cardiophysiological adjustments that permit this behaviour, we quantified the effect of acclimation from 15°C to 5°C in normoxia (15N and 5N fish), as well as chronic hypoxic submergence (6-8 weeks; ∼6.3-8.

Contractile performance of the Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis) ventricle: Assessment of the effects of temperature, pacing frequency, the role of the sarcoplasmic reticulum in contraction and adrenergic stimulation.

The air-breathing Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis) experiences aquatic hypoxia, but restricted air-access in winter due to ice-cover. To lend insight into its overwintering strategy, we examined the effects of thermal acclimation (15 °C vs. 5 °C), acute temperature change (to 10 °C), increased pacing frequency, inhibition of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca release and uptake and adrenaline (1000 nmol l) on the contractile performance of isometrically-contracting, electrically-paced ventricular strips.

Temperature-dependence of L-type Ca(2+) current in ventricular cardiomyocytes of the Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis).

To lend insight into the overwintering strategy of the Alaska blackfish (Dallia pectoralis), we acclimated fish to 15 or 5 °C and then utilized whole-cell patch clamp to characterize the effects of thermal acclimation and acute temperature change on the density and kinetics of ventricular L-type Ca(2+) current (I Ca). Peak I Ca density at 5 °C (-1.1 ± 0.