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Related Concept Videos

Thermoregulation01:26

Thermoregulation

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,...
Body Temperature01:25

Body Temperature

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...
Body Temperature01:07

Body Temperature

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 (97–99°F), remaining relatively stable...
Background and Environment Affect Phenotype02:27

Background and Environment Affect Phenotype

Although the genetic makeup of an organism plays a major role in determining the phenotype, there are also several environmental factors, such as temperature, oxygen availability, presence of mutagens, that can alter an organism’s phenotype.
An example of how genetic background affects phenotype can be seen in horses. The Extension gene in horses is responsible for their coat color. A wild-type gene (EE) produces black pigment in the coat, while a mutant gene (ee) produces red pigment. A...
Thermosensation01:43

Thermosensation

Peripheral thermosensation is the perception of external temperature. A change in temperature (on the surface of the skin and other tissues) is detected by a family of temperature-sensitive ion channels called Transient Receptor Potential, or TRP, receptors. These receptors are located on free nerve endings. Those detecting cold temperatures are closer to the surface of the skin than the nerve endings detecting warmth. These thermoTRP channels, while temperature selective, have relatively...
Homeostatic Imbalances in Body Temperature01:19

Homeostatic Imbalances in Body Temperature

Hyperthermia occurs when the body's temperature becomes unusually high, often due to heat exposure, intense physical activity, or certain illnesses. This condition can create a dangerous cycle where elevated body temperature increases the metabolic rate, generating more heat and potentially leading to organ failure and brain damage. A severe form of hyperthermia, called heat stroke, can raise body temperature to life-threatening levels. Fever, on the other hand, is a controlled form of...

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Thermal Limits Determination for Zooplankton Using a Heat Block
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Thermal Limits Determination for Zooplankton Using a Heat Block

Published on: November 18, 2022

Behavioral thermoregulation by turtle embryos.

Wei-Guo Du1, Bo Zhao, Ye Chen

  • 1Key Laboratory of Animal Ecology and Conservational Biology, Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China. dwghz@126.com

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|May 25, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Turtle embryos can move within their eggs to find optimal temperatures, challenging the assumption that only mobile animals can thermoregulate. This early behavioral thermoregulation is crucial for embryonic development.

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Area of Science:

  • Ecology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Developmental Biology

Background:

  • Mobile ectothermic animals regulate body temperature behaviorally.
  • Embryos, typically immobile within eggs, were presumed unable to thermoregulate.
  • This limits understanding of early life-stage thermal adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if turtle embryos exhibit behavioral thermoregulation.
  • To determine if embryonic movement can exploit thermal gradients within the egg.

Main Methods:

  • Experimental studies on early-stage turtle embryos.
  • Observation of embryonic movement within the egg in response to thermal heterogeneity.

Main Results:

  • Turtle embryos were observed moving within the egg.
  • Embryonic movement successfully exploited small-scale spatial thermal variations.
  • This demonstrates thermoregulatory behavior prior to hatching.

Conclusions:

  • Embryonic behavioral thermoregulation is possible despite immobility.
  • Thermoregulation is an important survival tactic across all life stages.
  • This finding redefines the scope of behavioral thermoregulation in ectotherms.