Body temperature regulation, or thermoregulation, is the biological process by which organisms maintain internal body temperature within a physiologically optimal range despite external or internal thermal perturbations. In homeothermic animals, this involves coordinated neural, endocrine, and autonomic mechanisms centered primarily in the hypothalamus, which integrates thermal sensory input from peripheral and core thermoreceptors. Effectors include changes in blood flow (vasodilation and vasoconstriction), sweating or panting, shivering thermogenesis, non-shivering thermogenesis (e.g., brown adipose tissue activity), and behavioral responses such as seeking shade or warmth. Thermoregulation is critical for enzymatic function, metabolic homeostasis, and overall organismal survival.
Traditional veterinary practices utilize rectal measurements to assess body temperature, but this method is stressful and does not capture continuous changes in body temperature. Fortunately, recent advancements have introduced ...
Veterinary medicine
Aug 13, 2025
0
29
Body coverings such as hair and feathers have played a central role in evolution. They enabled warm-bloodedness by insulating the body, and were used for courtship, display, deterrence of enemies and, in the case of feathers, ...
Evolution
Jul 23, 2025
0
316
If you're currently experiencing a hot summer, the chances are the sweat is pouring off you, soaking your clothing. This clear, odorless substance is a vital component of a healthy bodily function that helps cool you down ...
Skin functions as a sophisticated sensorial system in the human body, capable not only of detecting environmental stimuli—such as temperature, pressure, strain, and vibration—but also of actively responding to these changes. ...
Bio & Medicine
May 6, 2024
0
84
Textile engineers have developed a fabric woven out of ultra-fine nano-threads made in part of phase-change materials and other advanced substances that combine to produce a fabric that can respond to changing temperatures ...
Nanomaterials
Oct 11, 2022
1
346
Body temperature is a basic indicator of health. Intracellular temperature is also a basic indicator of cellular health; cancer cells are more metabolically active, and thus can have a slightly higher temperature than healthy ...
Bio & Medicine
Jul 28, 2022
0
96
One degree celsius can make a difference: a team of investigators led by Osaka University has demonstrated regulation of a critical protein complex that occurs only at physiological temperature.
Bio & Medicine
Nov 9, 2021
0
60
