Recent advances in the study of thermoregulation in homeothermic animals: thermogenesis, thermolysis, and thermal homeostasis
Keywords:
cutaneous vasoconstriction, brown adipose tissue, non-shivering thermogenesisAbstract
Thermoregulation in homeothermic animals is an active and continuous physiological process that balances heat generation (thermogenesis) and heat loss (thermolysis) to maintain thermal homeostasis, which is crucial in the face of climate change. Homeothermic animals regulate their body temperature (37–42°C) through neural and peripheral mechanisms, with the preoptic area of the hypothalamus acting as a key integrating nucleus, although evidence suggests the existence of decentralized hypothalamic-associated networks that play complementary roles. Strategies to maintain homeostasis in cold conditions include cutaneous vasoconstriction, non-shivering thermogenesis (brown adipose tissue activity), and skeletal muscle contraction to conserve body heat. In contrast, heat induces capillary vasodilation, sweating, and panting to facilitate thermolysis or heat loss. Transient receptor potential (TRP) channels and GABAergic/glutamatergic neurons modulate these responses, with direct implications for hyperthermia/hypothermia processes. The physiological asymmetry between the upper and lower limits of thermal homeostasis highlights the vulnerability of organisms to extreme temperatures outside their comfort zone.
http://dx.doi.org/10.21929/abavet2025.13
e2025-34
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