Changes

==Rete Mirable==

==Rete Mirable==

[[Image:Carotidretesheep.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Carotid Rete of the Sheep. Sophie Stenner, RVC 2008]]  

[[Image:Carotidretesheep.jpg|thumb|right|150px|Carotid Rete of the Sheep. Sophie Stenner, RVC 2008]]  

The Rete Mirabile is a complex network of arteries and veins lying very close to each other and depends on a countercurrent blood flow between the arterioles and venuoles (blood flowing in opposite directions). It exchanges heat, ions, or gases between vessel walls so that the two bloodstreams within the rete maintain a gradient. The image shows the countercurrent exchange in the carotid rete mirable (carotid rete) of a sheep controlling the temperature of blood supplied to the brain.

The brain is particularly susceptible to increased blood temperature and to protect the brain from any potential heat stress a number of species have developed protective mechanisms with the ability to selectively cool the brain. This protective system is foten referred to as the Rete Mirable.

The Rete Mirable is a complex network of arteries and veins lying very close to each other and depends on a countercurrent blood flow between the arterioles and venuoles (blood flowing in opposite directions). It exchanges heat, ions, or gases between vessel walls so that the two bloodstreams within the rete maintain a gradient. The image shows the countercurrent exchange in the carotid rete mirable (carotid rete) of a sheep controlling the temperature of blood supplied to the brain.

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