Nitrogen metabolism and excretion during aestivation

Abstract

In this chapter, up-to-date information on nitrogen metabolism and excretion in various aestivators is presented. Although aestivation involves long-term fasting and corporal torpor, adaptive responses with regard to excretory nitrogen metabolism exhibited by aestivators during aestivation differ from those exhibited by nonaestivators undergoing fasting or immobilization. Special efforts were made to address current issues pertaining to excretory nitrogen metabolism and related phenomena in aestivators. Adaptations exhibited by aestivators were discussed in relation to the induction, maintenance, and arousal phases of aestivation. For the induction phase, we included topics like urea as an internal induction signal for aestivation, alteration in the permeability of the skin to ammonia, and changes in rate of ammonia production and urea synthesis. For the maintenance phase, the emphasis was on protein synthesis and degradation, ammonia production, and urea synthesis and accumulation. For the arousal phase, the focus was on rehydration, urea excretion, and phenomena related to feeding. Adaptations exhibited by aestivators specifically to each of these three phases of aestivation are essential to the understanding of the overall aestivation process, but, at present, only limited information is available on excretory nitrogen metabolism in animals during the induction or arousal phases of aestivation. Therefore, future efforts should be made to identify adaptive responses particular to each of the three phases of aestivation in various aestivators.