Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Thermosensation01:43

Thermosensation

34.6K
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...
34.6K
Body Temperature01:25

Body Temperature

5.2K
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...
5.2K
Body Temperature01:07

Body Temperature

1.7K
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...
1.7K
Thermoregulation01:26

Thermoregulation

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
What is Homeostasis?01:16

What is Homeostasis?

66.0K
Maintaining homeostasis requires that the body continuously maintain its internal conditions. Each physiological condition has a particular set point, from body temperature to blood pressure to levels of certain nutrients. A set point is the physiological value around which the normal range fluctuates. A normal range is a restricted set of values that is optimally healthful and stable. For example, the set point for normal human body temperature is approximately 37°C (98.6°F).
66.0K
Somatosensation01:33

Somatosensation

44.6K
The somatosensory system relays sensory information from the skin, mucous membranes, limbs, and joints. Somatosensation is more familiarly known as the sense of touch. A typical somatosensory pathway includes three types of long neurons: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Primary neurons have cell bodies located near the spinal cord in groups of neurons called dorsal root ganglia. The sensory neurons of ganglia innervate designated areas of skin called dermatomes.
44.6K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A genome-wide screen identifies that PLCG2 restrains lysosomal GCase activity.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·2026
Same author

Age-related morphological changes in the <i>C57BL/6J</i> mouse calvaria: implications for stereotaxic neurosurgery.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

An orthogonal TRAP enables intersectional genetic access to activated neurons in the mouse brain.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

A genetic screen in enteroendocrine cells reveals mechanisms that control protein sensing and GLP-1 release.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Need-selective gating of dopamine neuron cue responses by real and virtual hunger.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same author

Cellular coding of ingestion in the caudal brainstem.

bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology·2026
Same journal

Co-option of lysosomal machinery shapes the evolution of the intracellular photosymbiosis supporting coral reefs.

Cell·2026
Same journal

LEF1 and niche factors determine T cell stemness across chronic diseases.

Cell·2026
Same journal

Recurrent patterns of TOP1-mediated neuronal genomic damage shared by major neurodegenerative disorders.

Cell·2026
Same journal

Four-dimensional molecular mapping from a spatial snapshot reveals the dynamics of hair follicle organogenesis.

Cell·2026
Same journal

Whole-cell particle-based digital twin simulations from 4D lattice light-sheet microscopy data.

Cell·2026
Same journal

Systematic discovery of pathogen effector functions across human pathogens and pathways.

Cell·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 15, 2026

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice
08:35

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice

Published on: March 17, 2015

15.8K

Warm-Sensitive Neurons that Control Body Temperature.

Chan Lek Tan1, Elizabeth K Cooke1, David E Leib2

  • 1Department of Physiology, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA; Kavli Institute for Fundamental Neuroscience, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94158, USA.

Cell
|September 13, 2016
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Researchers identified specific warm-sensitive neurons (WSNs) in the brain that control body temperature. These neurons, co-expressing BDNF and PACAP, trigger cooling responses and cold-seeking behavior when activated by warmth.

More Related Videos

Recording Temperature-induced Neuronal Activity through Monitoring Calcium Changes in the Olfactory Bulb of Xenopus laevis
11:08

Recording Temperature-induced Neuronal Activity through Monitoring Calcium Changes in the Olfactory Bulb of Xenopus laevis

Published on: June 3, 2016

7.7K
In Vivo Calcium Imaging of Neuronal Ensembles in Networks of Primary Sensory Neurons in Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia
09:07

In Vivo Calcium Imaging of Neuronal Ensembles in Networks of Primary Sensory Neurons in Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia

Published on: February 10, 2023

3.7K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Mar 15, 2026

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice
08:35

A Simple and Inexpensive Method for Determining Cold Sensitivity and Adaptation in Mice

Published on: March 17, 2015

15.8K
Recording Temperature-induced Neuronal Activity through Monitoring Calcium Changes in the Olfactory Bulb of Xenopus laevis
11:08

Recording Temperature-induced Neuronal Activity through Monitoring Calcium Changes in the Olfactory Bulb of Xenopus laevis

Published on: June 3, 2016

7.7K
In Vivo Calcium Imaging of Neuronal Ensembles in Networks of Primary Sensory Neurons in Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia
09:07

In Vivo Calcium Imaging of Neuronal Ensembles in Networks of Primary Sensory Neurons in Intact Dorsal Root Ganglia

Published on: February 10, 2023

3.7K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Physiology
  • Molecular Biology

Background:

  • Thermoregulation is a critical brain function for maintaining stable body temperature.
  • The neural circuits and specific cell types responsible for converting temperature signals into homeostatic responses are not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To identify and characterize the specific neurons in the brain responsible for sensing warmth and initiating heat-loss responses.
  • To elucidate the molecular identity and functional connectivity of these warm-sensitive neurons (WSNs).

Main Methods:

  • Utilized unbiased, activity-dependent RNA sequencing to discover novel neuronal populations.
  • Performed optical recordings in awake, behaving mice to monitor neuronal activity in response to thermal stimuli.
  • Employed optogenetics for targeted excitation of identified WSNs and projection-specific manipulations.

Main Results:

  • Identified a population of warm-sensitive neurons (WSNs) in the preoptic hypothalamus defined by co-expression of BDNF and PACAP.
  • Demonstrated that WSNs are selectively activated by environmental warmth in behaving mice.
  • Showed that optogenetic activation of WSNs induces rapid hypothermia and cold-seeking behavior via distinct neural pathways.

Conclusions:

  • WSNs co-expressing BDNF and PACAP are key cellular players in mammalian thermoregulation.
  • These neurons coordinate both autonomic (heat loss) and behavioral (cold-seeking) responses to heat.
  • Provides genetic access to the core neural circuit governing body temperature regulation.