Renal Tubular Cells from Hibernating Squirrels are Protected against Cisplatin Induced Apoptosis

Figure 1

Representative core body temperature (CBT), heart rate, and respiratory rate during summer (SA), torpor (LT), and interbout arousal (IBA). CBT nadirs at ∼4°C for several days during torpor, at which time heart and respiratory rates decline from a summer-time level of 200–300 to 3–5 beats/min and respiratory rate from 100–200 to 4–6 breaths/min. During periodic IBA, CBT returns to ∼37°C for ∼12 hours, and heart rate and respiratory rate return to normal. Thereafter, the CBT falls again as the hibernator re-enters torpor. The cycle of torpor and IBA is repeated several times during one winter season suggesting hibernating kidneys use natural mechanism to avoid damage by cold ischemia followed by warm reperfusion.