The lack of oxygen experienced during development by the embryos of turtles instills in them the ability to exist in an environment without oxygen during hibernation for several months.

Many cayman turtles prefer to hibernate at the bottom of ponds and lakes. At the same time, they hide their heads under a layer of ice or snow. In this state, without oxygen, reptiles can spend up to half a year. This mystery pride has attracted the attention of researchers.

The ability to exist for several months in conditions of hypoxia in turtles is due to the ability of their heart to deliver the necessary nutrients to the cells of the body. With the development of diseases of the cardiovascular system in humans, damage to the heart occurs as a result of oxygen deficiency. And some reptiles, for example, turtles and alligators, have the ability to withstand this problem, supporting metabolic processes of substances, as well as the functioning of the muscular system during insufficient oxygen.

To study this unique ability of reptiles, researchers conducted a study of representatives of a group of cayman turtles. One half of them grew and developed under normal conditions, and the second was in an environment where the oxygen content in the atmosphere was only 10% of the norm.

As a result of the studies, with a sharp introduction of oxygen into the environment, the animal cells did not receive significant damage.This may indicate that oxygen can be considered one of the important environmental signals, upon receipt of which a certain list of genes is included, which enable the cardiac reptile system to transfer gas shortages for a rather long period. In the future, scientists plan to use this ability of turtles to treat many diseases of the human heart system.