How studying squirrel hibernation helps in transporting organs

Squirrel hibernation is one of the most amazing wonders of the Mother Nature. There is a certain kind of squirrels (ground squirrels) who can undergo hibernation. In the state of hibernation the body temperature is brought down to an extremely lower level. These squirrels undergo this physiological state to survive during extremely cold whether.

These squirrels undergo hibernation in the time of the year where the environmental temperature falls, even down to 0 Celsius. In mammals, the body temperature is kept in a constant level. The body requires optimum conditions to function correctly. Most of the mammals are programmed to keep the optimum temperature by thermoregulations. When the body temperature goes down, the body burns energy from the fat reserves and generates heat. But, this is not possible for these squirrels due to lack of food. During the cold whether, the squirrels are unable to find food. Therefore, they have to survive with whatever the energy they have already stored within their bodies.

The animal body is composed of cells. The survival of the animal depends on the survival of the each and every cell in the body. The integrity of the cell depends on the intracellular and extracellular electrolyte concentrations. These concentrations are kept at their optimum concentrations by the pumps that are present in the cell membrane. These pumps need energy and optimum temperatures to work. These pumps in the ground squirrels differ from those of non-hibernating mammals. Their pumps are able to work at very low temperatures. Therefore, these pumps are able to keep the cells viable even under very low temperatures.

HOW DOES IT HELP IN ORGAN TRANSPORT?

The organs are transported in cold temperatures to keep then viable for a longer period. But at lower temperatures, the pumps may not work properly. The absence of functioning pumps in the cells makes the organs non-viable. But, if the scientists can find the exact kind of electrolyte pumps that work at very low temperatures, then the nature of these pumps can be used to find a way to store organs for a loner period of time so they can be transported to the required area.  

According to Cryo Letters, 2000, pubmed, organs taken from squirrels that were in deep hibernation survived in cold for up to 72 hours. But, the organs from non-hibernating squirrels were able to survive only for24 hours.

If these studies become successful, a way can be found to preserve organs for a longer period of time.