Riedesel, Ilarvin L" and G. Edgar Foltrc, Jr. 1956" Serum magnesium changes in hibernation.

Nature 177: 668

(Reprinted lrom Nature, Vol. 177, p. 668 only,

Aptil 1,

1956)

This research was aided by grants from the Oentral Sciontific Furrd of the College of Medicine, Stato University of fowa, and National Science Foundation, Washington, D.C.

Menvtw

G. Eosen

L. Rrnonsrr, Fon, JtrN.

Serum Magnesium Changes in Hibernation

Ilrrrotnnnura. and hibernation have been subjocts of increasing interest in recent years, yet there is a critical lack of obsorvations on the biochemistry of
theso states. Iligh levels of magnesium in serum have boon related by several investigators to hiberna' tion and cold erposurel. In the present, studies levels of serum magnesium and other electrolytes, and sorum spocific gravities, wore comp&red in bats in sevoral seiies including both hibernating and non' hibernating conditions. The first species (Eptesictts fuscus) was collected in hibernation in a cave. One.group was trled v'hilo

Department of Occupational Health, University of Pittsburgh,

Pittsburgh, Penn.,
and

Department of Physiology, State tTniversity of Iowa, Iowa City, Iowa. Dec. 6.

r Suomalainen. P., Ann. Acad. Sci,. Fennicae, A, 53, 1 (1939). ?latner, W. W., and Eosko, M, J., Amer. J. Phusiol.,174, 273 (195!). McBirnie, K, E,, Pehrson, ii. c., Trusler,G. A:, Karachi, E.8., and Bigelow, W. G., Canad,. J, Med. Sci.,81, 42f (1935). , Natelson, S,, and ?enniall, P"., AnaI. Chem,,22,434 (1955).
3

Orange, M,, and B,hein,

tr.

C.,

J. Biol, Chem.,189,

379 (1951),

The socond species (Mgotis lucifugus) was obtainod from a sufiImor colony and from & cave in winter hibornation. The spocimens were bled after periods of hibernation varying from I hr. to 9 weeks. The serum potassium detorminations by flame photometry showed no significant changos due to hibernat'ion. For other oloctrolytes recently described micromothods were used; for the calcium, the method of Natelson and Penniallr and for magnesium the
method of Orange and R'hein!. Tho serum calciumlevel during hibernation decreased, whereas the cell/plasnra iatio and the specific gravity of the serum increased slightly but, not consistently. Tho serum magnosium in all hibernating gloups wgs f0 per cent higher than in the active animals, which normally ranged frorn 2 to less tha,rr
showed

still dormant and the other group after they were maintained a,nd fed in a flight cage for four days.

a level of 4'1 mgm. per 100 ml. P values I por cont. The specific' gravity rosult's indicatod t'his was not a passivo

o"ftT:";"r"*e
dropped

of serum magnesium in bats occurred after only one to two hours of hibernation and was found by the time the esophageal temperature had

hibernation does not require a lowering of the serum magnesium, since there was no reduction of serum magnesium when bodS' temperaturo was .raised to l8'-C., a procedure which required 5-8 min. IIow' over, one hour after arousal from hibernation, the sorurn magnesium had dropped. The incroase in seru- magnesium in hibornation is uninfluenced by
seaaon.

in serum magnesium when the esophageal t'emperature had dropped to only t?-20'C. Awakening from

to 13'C. There was no significant

increase

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