Question

Imagine an animal with a neurogenic heart needs a heart transplant to remain healthy. What considerations would the surgeon have to make that s/he would not have to make if the animal had a myogenic heart?

Answer 1

When transplanting a heart into an animal with a neurogenic heart, the surgeon must consider factors related to nerve regulation and immune rejection.

Step-by-step explanation:

When considering a heart transplant for an animal with a neurogenic heart, the surgeon would have to take into account several factors that would not be applicable if the animal had a myogenic heart.

Firstly, a neurogenic heart relies on nerve signals to regulate its heartbeat, whereas a myogenic heart can generate its own rhythmic contractions. Therefore, the surgeon would need to ensure that the transplanted heart is properly innervated and can receive appropriate nerve signals to maintain its function.

Secondly, a neurogenic heart may be more susceptible to complications from immune rejection, as the immune system could potentially target the transplanted heart due to a lack of immune tolerance developed during embryonic development. This means that the surgeon would need to take extra precautions to minimize the risk of rejection.