<p>A CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology research has revealed that the blood parameters of Tibetans in Karnataka are significantly different from their counterparts in the high-altitude Ladakh.</p>.<p>Bylakuppe in Mysore district is said to be one of the largest settlements of the Tibetans in exile. Tibetans are one of the oldest high-altitude inhabitants in the world, with known genetic and physiological factors sustaining them in low-oxygen conditions.</p>.<p>The Tibetan migration to Bylakuppe started about six decades back, following the People Liberation Army's control of Tibet that began in 1950.</p>.<p>The Hyderabad-based CCMB researchers have now compared the physiological aspects of the people of Tibetan ethnicity residing at 4500-4900 meters altitudes in Ladakh with those in Bylakuppe, which lies at an altitude of about 850 meters from the sea level.</p>.<p>“Our study suggests that when Tibetans reside in non-native, low-altitude, area for a long time, their body undergoes various adaptations to cope with the relatively hyperoxic environment in the low-lying areas”, said Dr K Thangaraj, lead investigator of the study, and presently director, DBT-Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad.</p>.<p>Hyperoxic refers to a state of abundant oxygen supply.</p>.<p>"We found that the red blood cells, haemoglobin concentration and hematocrit are significantly lower in the low-altitude Tibetans. Their haemoglobin levels are much closer to those living on the plains than the other Tibetans who live beyond 4500 meter altitude”, said Nipa Basak, first author of the study.</p>.<p>Earlier studies have shown that Tibetans with lower haemoglobin concentration have better reproductive fitness among the women and exercise capacity among the men.</p>.<p>“It would be interesting to explore exercise capacity and reproductive fitness in the low-lander Tibetans. It will also be worthwhile noting how long these changes persist if the Tibetan inhabited in Karnataka migrates back to high-altitude,” says Dr Thangaraj.</p>.<p>The study, recently published in the Journal of Blood Medicine, was carried out in collaboration with researchers from Ladakh and Karnataka, including Dr Tsering Norboo, from Ladakh Institute of Prevention, a Leh based organisation, and Dr MS Mustak from Mangalore University.</p>
<p>A CSIR-Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology research has revealed that the blood parameters of Tibetans in Karnataka are significantly different from their counterparts in the high-altitude Ladakh.</p>.<p>Bylakuppe in Mysore district is said to be one of the largest settlements of the Tibetans in exile. Tibetans are one of the oldest high-altitude inhabitants in the world, with known genetic and physiological factors sustaining them in low-oxygen conditions.</p>.<p>The Tibetan migration to Bylakuppe started about six decades back, following the People Liberation Army's control of Tibet that began in 1950.</p>.<p>The Hyderabad-based CCMB researchers have now compared the physiological aspects of the people of Tibetan ethnicity residing at 4500-4900 meters altitudes in Ladakh with those in Bylakuppe, which lies at an altitude of about 850 meters from the sea level.</p>.<p>“Our study suggests that when Tibetans reside in non-native, low-altitude, area for a long time, their body undergoes various adaptations to cope with the relatively hyperoxic environment in the low-lying areas”, said Dr K Thangaraj, lead investigator of the study, and presently director, DBT-Centre for DNA Fingerprinting and Diagnostics (CDFD), Hyderabad.</p>.<p>Hyperoxic refers to a state of abundant oxygen supply.</p>.<p>"We found that the red blood cells, haemoglobin concentration and hematocrit are significantly lower in the low-altitude Tibetans. Their haemoglobin levels are much closer to those living on the plains than the other Tibetans who live beyond 4500 meter altitude”, said Nipa Basak, first author of the study.</p>.<p>Earlier studies have shown that Tibetans with lower haemoglobin concentration have better reproductive fitness among the women and exercise capacity among the men.</p>.<p>“It would be interesting to explore exercise capacity and reproductive fitness in the low-lander Tibetans. It will also be worthwhile noting how long these changes persist if the Tibetan inhabited in Karnataka migrates back to high-altitude,” says Dr Thangaraj.</p>.<p>The study, recently published in the Journal of Blood Medicine, was carried out in collaboration with researchers from Ladakh and Karnataka, including Dr Tsering Norboo, from Ladakh Institute of Prevention, a Leh based organisation, and Dr MS Mustak from Mangalore University.</p>
