In-vitro heat exchange at the rete of the Boer goat under specified laboratory conditions

1. Each half rete from five Boer goats was perfused with water at 38 °C and flow rate of 2 ml min^?1 while simultaneously perfusing the cavernous sinus with water at different temperatures and flow combinations and recording temperatures across the rete.

2. The minimum temperature difference across the rete was recorded at a cavernous sinus perfusion temperature of 37.8 °C and flow rate of 2 ml min^?1.

3. Slopes of heat exchange increased threefold when the flow was increased four times.

4. These results support the idea that the rete is an obligate heat exchanger.

Keywords: Carotid rete; Selective brain cooling; Thermoregulation; Artiodactyls; Cavernous sinus