Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 5, 2026
07:54
Field-Based Thermal Physiology Assay: Cold Shock Recovery under Ambient Conditions
Published on: March 9, 2021
3.6K
Thermoregulation in a parasite's life cycle.
1Growth and Development Section, Laboratory of Parasitic Diseases, National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland 20892-0425, USA.
Nature
|August 16, 2002
Summary
Malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum uses thermoregulation to adapt. Cooler temperatures upregulate RNA transcription, aiding its transition from human to mosquito hosts.
Area of Science:
- Parasitology
- Molecular Biology
- Environmental Adaptation
Background:
- The malaria parasite, Plasmodium falciparum, has a complex life cycle with distinct developmental stages.
- Each stage presents unique environmental challenges requiring parasite adaptation.
- Understanding these adaptations is key to controlling malaria transmission.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of thermoregulation in the developmental transition of Plasmodium falciparum.
- To elucidate how the parasite senses and responds to environmental temperature changes during its life cycle.
Main Methods:
- Analysis of RNA transcription patterns under varying temperature conditions.
- Focus on the temperature-dependent regulation of specific RNA molecules.
Main Results:
- Thermoregulation, specifically upregulation of RNA transcription at cooler temperatures, is critical for parasite development.
- This adaptive response facilitates the transition of Plasmodium falciparum from human to mosquito hosts.
Conclusions:
- Environmental sensing and adaptive responses, particularly thermoregulation, are vital for malaria parasite survival and transmission.
- Findings provide novel insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying Plasmodium falciparum's environmental adaptability.
Related Concept Videos
01:25Body Temperature
3.7K
The body's temperature, measured in degrees, is determined by the balance between heat production and dissipation to the surrounding environment. For instance, if exercising vigorously, the body will produce more heat, causing sweat and dissipating that heat. Despite extreme environmental conditions and physical exertion, the human temperature-control system maintains a constant core body temperature (the temperature of deep tissues, which are the tissues located beneath the skin and other...
3.7K
01:19Mechanism of heat transfer
2.3K
Understanding heat transfer mechanisms is essential for understanding how our bodies maintain balance in different environmental conditions. When the environment is thermoneutral, the body is in a state of balance, neither using nor releasing energy to maintain its core temperature. However, when the environment is not thermoneutral, the body employs four heat transfer mechanisms to maintain homeostasis: conduction, convection, evaporation, and radiation. These mechanisms facilitate heat...
2.3K
01:25Increased Body Temperature
6.4K
A body temperature above 38°C (100.4 °F) is known as fever or pyrexia, and a person with fever is termed 'febrile.' Typically, the hypothalamus, a part of the brain that acts as the body's thermostat, regulates body temperature through a thermoregulatory setpoint. It receives signals from cold and warm thermal receptors throughout the body and adjusts the body's temperature accordingly. Fever occurs when this hypothalamic setpoint is altered, usually in...
6.4K
01:07Body Temperature
1.9K
Body temperature reflects the equilibrium between heat production and heat loss within the body. Most heat is generated by metabolically active tissues, particularly the liver, heart, brain, kidneys, and endocrine organs. At rest, skeletal muscles contribute 20–30% of total heat production, but during vigorous exercise, this can increase up to 30–40 times.
The average body temperature is approximately 37°C (98.6°F) and typically ranges from 36.1–37.2°C...
The average body temperature is approximately 37°C (98.6°F) and typically ranges from 36.1–37.2°C...
1.9K
01:26Thermoregulation
2.9K
The human body has a sophisticated thermoregulation system that employs negative feedback mechanisms to maintain an optimal core temperature. When the core temperature drops, peripheral and central thermoreceptors send signals to the hypothalamus, activating the heat-promoting center. This center triggers several responses aimed at increasing the core temperature. First, vasoconstriction reduces the flow of warm blood from internal organs to the skin so that the heat is not lost from the skin,...
2.9K
01:22Microbial Interactions: Parasitism
116
Parasitism is a form of microbial interaction in which parasitic microbes exploit a host organism for nutrients and shelter, often at the host's expense. Unlike mutualistic relationships, where both organisms benefit, parasitism benefits only the parasite and harms the host.Classification of ParasitesMicrobial parasites are broadly classified based on their location relative to the host.Ectoparasites remain on the host’s surface, such as the skin or outer tissues, drawing nutrients...
116