Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 8, 2025

Measuring Skeletal Muscle Thermogenesis in Mice and Rats
Published on: July 27, 2022
The Genetics of Thermoregulation in Pigs: A Review
Jean-Luc Gourdine1, Wendy Mercedes Rauw2, Hélène Gilbert3
1URZ, INRAE, Domaine Duclos Prise d'eau, Petit-Bourg, France.
Abstract:
Heat stress (HS) affects pig performance, health and welfare, resulting in a financial burden to the pig industry. Pigs have a limited number of functional sweat glands and their thermoregulatory mechanisms used to maintain body temperature, are challenged by HS to maintain body temperature. The genetic selection of genotypes tolerant to HS is a promising long-term (adaptation) option that could be combined with other measures at the production system level. This review summarizes the current knowledge on the genetics of thermoregulation in pigs. It also discusses the different phenotypes that can be used in genetic studies, as well as the variability in thermoregulation between pig breeds and the inheritance of traits related to thermoregulation. This review also considers on-going challenges to face for improving heat tolerance in pigs.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Thermoregulation
Body Temperature
Background and Environment Affect 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...
Mechanism of heat transfer
Thermosensation
Homeostatic Imbalances in Body Temperature

