rete mirabile

anatomy

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Last updated

July 16, 2026

Quick Summary

The term "rete mirabile" translates from Latin to "wonderful net". Anatomically, it refers to a dense network of blood vessels formed when a larger vessel breaks into smaller branches that typically rejoin into a single trunk. This intricate vascular structure is particularly noted in aquatic mammals, where it is believed to play a crucial role in storing oxygen. The word "rete" itself means network, often used to describe a plexus of blood vessels or nerves.12

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cetacean
Circulation and thermoregulation
…for oxygenated blood called the rete mirabile, for "marvelous network." These provide bypasses that enable cetaceans to isolate skeletal muscle circulation during diving while using the oxygen stored in the remaining blood to maintain the heart and brain—the two organs that depend on a constant supply of oxygen to survive.
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…for oxygenated blood called the rete mirabile, for "marvelous network." These provide bypasses that enable cetaceans to isolate skeletal muscle circulation during diving while using the oxygen stored in the remaining blood to maintain the heart and brain—the two organs that depend on a constant supply of oxygen to survive.
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opah
…which contain a densely packed network of veins and arteries. Heat generated by the movement of muscles in the opah’s pectoral fins, along with heat produced by other muscles, is transported to the gills through deoxygenated blood in the veins. In the gills, much of this heat is transferred to…
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…which contain a densely packed network of veins and arteries. Heat generated by the movement of muscles in the opah’s pectoral fins, along with heat produced by other muscles, is transported to the gills through deoxygenated blood in the veins. In the gills, much of this heat is transferred to…
Read More