Homeostasis of Temperature –
Thermoregulation
Thermoregulation
is the process by which
the human body maintains
its core 37 o
C
temperature
within a narrow range,
despite external
temperature fluctuations..
What is core body temperature?
The vital organs located deep within the body, such as the heart,
liver, and kidneys, are maintained at 37 °C. This is the core body
temperature.
Skin temperature at the
body's extremities, such as
the fingers and toes, is
usually lower than the core
body temperature.
On a warm day, skin temperature may be just 1 °C lower than the core
body temperature, but on a very cold day, it could be up to 9 °C lower.
The importance of a constant temperature
Many biological and physical processes are affected by
temperature. For example;
Enzymes work best at their optimum temperature and are
denatured by wide deviations from this
Cell membranes become more fragile as the temperature
rises
Diffusion rates are increased by higher temperatures, and
decreased by lower ones
Liquid such as blood becomes more viscous as the
temperature falls.
Skin Structure:
Epidermis: the outermost layer of the skin, and protects against water loss
and entry of disease causing organisms.
Nerve ending; receptor that detects temperature changes on the skin
surface.
Subcutaneous tissue: ( under the skin) fat insulates against heat loss ( only
involved in long term like seasonal temperature control.
Sebaceous glands: microscopic glands found in your hair follicles that secrete
sebum. Sebum is an oily substance that protects your skin from drying out.
How an endothermic animal maintains an ideal
body temperature?
Shivering generates heat, which raises body temperature by balancing
heat losses and heat gains.
When core body temperature drops, muscles begin to twitch. This rapid
contraction and relaxation of the muscles is called shivering.
Shivering generates heat, which raises body temperature.
Factors Affecting Thermoregulation:
Age, gender, body composition, fitness level, and health
conditions can influence an individual's thermoregulatory
capacity.
External factors, such as humidity, wind speed, and clothing,
can affect the rate of heat exchange between the body and
the environment.
Thermoregulation in Mammals
Who are called mammals?
Any member of
the group of
vertebrate animals
in which the
young are
nourished with
milk from the
special mammary
glands of the
mother.
Even for mammals, it is
essential to maintain a constant
internal body temperature for
survival and optimal
physiological functioning.
Mammals are endothermic
animals, meaning they generate
and regulate their own body
heat.
Ectotherms vs Endotherms
Mammalian Thermoregulation Mechanisms
Essential for physiological functions and survival.
Mammals employ various mechanisms to regulate their body
temperature.
Homeothermy vs. Heterothermy
Homeothermy: Maintaining a constant internal body temperature
regardless of external conditions.
Heterothermy: Body temperature varies according to external
conditions.
Heat Production:
Metabolism, particularly the oxidation of nutrients, is the
primary source of heat production.
Basal metabolic rate (BMR) contributes to maintaining core
temperature.
Muscle contractions during physical activity and shivering also
generate heat.
Heat Loss:
Mammals lose heat through various mechanisms:
Radiation: Transfer of heat from the body to the environment through
infrared radiation.
Conduction: Transfer of heat between objects in direct contact.
Convection: Transfer of heat through the movement of air or water
around the body.
Evaporation: Conversion of liquid water (sweat or panting) to water
vapor, carrying away heat from the body.
Thermoregulatory Responses to Heat:
When the body detects an increase in temperature:
Vasodilation: Blood vessels near the skin surface dilate, increasing
blood flow and promoting heat dissipation.
Sweating: In some mammals, sweat glands are activated, and
evaporation of sweat cools the body.
Panting: Many mammals, especially those without sweat glands, use
panting to increase evaporative heat loss through the respiratory
system.
Thermoregulatory Responses to Cold:
When the body detects a decrease in temperature:
Vasoconstriction: Blood vessels near the skin surface
constrict, reducing blood flow to the periphery and
conserving heat.
Shivering: Involuntary muscle contractions generate heat
through increased metabolic activity.
Piloerection: Activation of arrector pili muscles causes hair to
stand upright, creating an insulating layer of air close to the
skin.
Adaptations to Extreme Temperatures:
Insulation: Fur, hair, or fat layers provide insulation, reducing heat loss
in cold environments.
Countercurrent Heat Exchange: Blood vessels arranged in close
proximity allow for heat exchange between arteries and veins,
minimizing heat loss in extremities.
Hibernation: Some mammals enter a state of reduced metabolic
activity during extreme cold or food scarcity to conserve energy and
maintain a lower body temperature.
Sweat Glands: Efficient cooling through sweat evaporation in hot
environments.
Vocabulary
Denature: destroy the characteristic properties of (a protein or other biological
macromolecule) by heat, acidity, or other effects that disrupt its molecular
conformation.
Enzyme: a substance produced by a living organism that acts as a catalyst to
bring about a specific biochemical reaction.
Nerve impulse: a signal transmitted along a nerve fiber.
Thermostat: a device that automatically regulates temperature, or that activates
a device when the temperature reaches a certain point.
Regulate control or maintain the rate or speed of (a machine or process) so
that it operates properly.
Gland: an organ in the human or animal body that secretes particular chemical
substances for use in the body or for discharge into the surroundings.
Metabolism: the chemical processes that occur within a living
organism in order to maintain life.
Respiration: a process in living organisms involving the
production of energy, typically with the intake of oxygen and the
release of carbon dioxide from the oxidation of complex organic
substances.
Excretion: (in living organisms and cells) the process of
eliminating or expelling waste matter.
Vasodilation: Vasodilation is the widening of blood vessels as a
result of the relaxation of the blood vessel's muscular walls.
Vasoconstriction: Vasoconstriction is the narrowing
(constriction) of blood vessels by small muscles in their walls.
