CHANGES IN WHOLE-BLOOD OXYGEN-AFFINITY AND EGGSHELL PERMEABILITY IN HIGH-ALTITUDE CHICKENS TRANSLOCATED TO SEA-LEVEL

High altitude (HA; n = 5) chickens (Gallus gallus) with a high oxygen hemoglobin (Hb) affinity were transported from their birthplace (Puno, Peru 4,000 m) down to sea level (Lima, Peru). The in vivo whole blood oxygen affinity (P-50) and the eggshell permeability (P) were studied after several months living at sea in Hb affinity and eggshell permea bility, considered as indicators of HA adaptation in birds. Our result s show an increase of the P-50 values (a decrease in Hb affinity) towa rds sea-level values. The results in P indicate that this variable inc reases towards sea level values in the FZ generation. We conclude that in the Andean chicken, a relative ''newcomer'' to high altitude (no m ore than 500 years), neither the Hb affinity for oxygen nor the eggshe ll permeability are invariable indicators of. HA adaptation, in contra st with other native high altitude mammals and birds. (C) 1997 Elsevie r Science Inc.