The Role of Thermosensitive Ion Channels in Mammalian Thermoregulation

Ambient temperature detection and core body temperature maintenance are critical for the environment adaptability of mammals, requiring an elaborate neural network that converts the temperature information sensed by thermoreceptors into physiological and behavioral thermoregulatory responses. The molecular basis of thermosensation lies in the activation of various thermosensitive ion channels with distinct temperature thresholds expressed on the cell membrane of sensory neurons. These channels are able to convert thermal stimuli into electrical activities by gating ions into and out of the cell. In this chapter, we briefly introduce the physiological functions of the main thermosensitive ion channels involved in the core body temperature homeostasis orchestrated by the neural circuits in the peripheral and central nerve systems.