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

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...
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...
Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination01:23

Diencephalon: Hypothalamus and Coordination

The hypothalamus is a small yet highly complex and essential brain region that plays a crucial role in regulating various bodily functions. Anatomically, it is located at the base of the brain, just above the brainstem and below the thalamus, forming part of the limbic system.
The hypothalamus interacts with other brain regions, including the pituitary gland, through a direct physical connection called the hypothalamic-pituitary axis. The hypothalamus receives somatic and visceral inputs and...
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...
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,...
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...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by
Same author

Short-term treatment with the GABAA receptor antagonist pentylenetetrazole produces a sustained pro-cognitive benefit in a mouse model of Down's syndrome.

British journal of pharmacology·2013
Same author

Heat loss through the glabrous skin surfaces of heavily insulated, heat-stressed individuals.

Journal of biomechanical engineering·2009
Same author

Region-specific changes in immediate early gene expression in response to sleep deprivation and recovery sleep in the mouse brain.

Neuroscience·2003
Same author

Differential increase in the expression of heat shock protein family members during sleep deprivation and during sleep.

Neuroscience·2003
Same author

Sleep deprivation elevates plasma corticosterone levels in neonatal rats.

Neuroscience letters·2001
Same author

Prenatal nicotine alters vigilance states and AchR gene expression in the neonatal rat: implications for SIDS.

American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology·2001
Same journal

Quantitative analysis of autoradiograms.

Experientia. Supplementum·1989
Same journal

Regulatory peptides in the mammalian urogenital system.

Experientia. Supplementum·1989
Same journal

Transgenic mouse models and peptide producing endocrine tumours: morpho-functional aspects.

Experientia. Supplementum·1989
Same journal

The use of cell and tissue culture techniques in the study of regulatory peptides.

Experientia. Supplementum·1989
Same journal

Receptor ontogeny and hormonal imprinting.

Experientia. Supplementum·1987
Same journal

Why do hormone receptors arise? An introduction.

Experientia. Supplementum·1987
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 29, 2026

Thermal Imaging to Study Stress Non-invasively in Unrestrained Birds
10:07

Thermal Imaging to Study Stress Non-invasively in Unrestrained Birds

Published on: November 6, 2015

Hypothalamic thermosensitivity in mammals.

H C Heller

    Experientia. Supplementum
    |January 1, 1978
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    Mammalian hypothalamic thermosensitivity, a measure of metabolic heat production, decreases with increasing body size. This inverse relationship was observed across 21 species, from small rodents to large mammals.

    More Related Videos

    Measuring Skeletal Muscle Thermogenesis in Mice and Rats
    07:56

    Measuring Skeletal Muscle Thermogenesis in Mice and Rats

    Published on: July 27, 2022

    Infrared Thermography for the Detection of Changes in Brown Adipose Tissue Activity
    08:16

    Infrared Thermography for the Detection of Changes in Brown Adipose Tissue Activity

    Published on: September 28, 2022

    Related Experiment Videos

    Last Updated: Jun 29, 2026

    Thermal Imaging to Study Stress Non-invasively in Unrestrained Birds
    10:07

    Thermal Imaging to Study Stress Non-invasively in Unrestrained Birds

    Published on: November 6, 2015

    Measuring Skeletal Muscle Thermogenesis in Mice and Rats
    07:56

    Measuring Skeletal Muscle Thermogenesis in Mice and Rats

    Published on: July 27, 2022

    Infrared Thermography for the Detection of Changes in Brown Adipose Tissue Activity
    08:16

    Infrared Thermography for the Detection of Changes in Brown Adipose Tissue Activity

    Published on: September 28, 2022

    Area of Science:

    • Physiology
    • Thermoregulation
    • Mammalian Biology

    Background:

    • Understanding mammalian thermoregulation is crucial for predicting responses to environmental changes.
    • Hypothalamic temperature plays a key role in regulating metabolic heat production.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To investigate the relationship between body size and hypothalamic thermosensitivity in mammals.
    • To quantify how metabolic heat production changes with hypothalamic temperature across different mammalian body masses.

    Main Methods:

    • Surveyed 21 mammalian species with body masses ranging from 15 g to 34 kg.
    • Measured hypothalamic thermosensitivity by determining the proportionality constant relating metabolic heat production to hypothalamic temperature.
    • Conducted measurements at a thermoneutral ambient temperature.

    Main Results:

    • Hypothalamic thermosensitivity was found to be inversely related to body size.
    • The relationship is described by the equation: alphaMHP = -1.46 Wt-.37, where alphaMHP is hypothalamic thermosensitivity and Wt is body weight.
    • Larger mammals exhibit lower hypothalamic thermosensitivity.

    Conclusions:

    • Body size is a significant determinant of hypothalamic thermosensitivity in mammals.
    • The established quantitative relationship provides a predictive model for mammalian thermoregulation.
    • This finding has implications for understanding metabolic scaling and physiological adaptation in diverse mammalian species.