Cellular thermogenesis compensates environmental temperature fluctuations for maintaining intracellular temperature

Area of Science:

• Cellular biology
• Biophysics
• Physiology

Background:

• Cellular processes generate heat, influencing molecular dynamics and cell function.
• Intracellular thermometry allows direct measurement of temperature within cells.
• Understanding cell-cycle-dependent temperature changes and thermoregulation is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate cell-cycle-dependent intracellular temperature variations.
• To explore how cells regulate thermogenesis in response to environmental temperature fluctuations.
• To reconstruct intracellular temperature dynamics throughout the cell cycle at single-cell resolution.

Main Methods:

• Utilized a genetically encoded thermometry system in HeLa cells.
• Employed ergodic analysis on asynchronously cultured cell populations.
• Reconstructed cell-cycle-dependent intracellular temperature from single-cell snapshots.

Main Results:

• Intracellular temperature is highest during the G1 phase and mitosis.
• Temperature gradually decreases along cell-cycle progression from G1.
• Cells exhibit distinct heating and cooling dynamics, particularly at G1/S phases, indicating active thermoregulation.

Conclusions:

• Intracellular thermogenesis is phase-dependent throughout the cell cycle.
• Cells actively maintain intracellular temperature homeostasis by compensating for environmental thermal changes.
• These findings offer novel insights into cellular energetics and thermal regulation.