SBI4U1
#44 Regulating the Internal
Environment
Cues
1. What is the main purpose I. Introduction
of thermoregulation in
organisms?
II. Thermoregulatory Mechanisms
2. What are some responses III. Thermoregulatory Components
that help in cooling the
body during
thermoregulation?
IV. Thermoregulatory Responses
3. How does brown fat
contribute to
thermoregulation in
organisms?
4. How do animals like
small mammals use daily
Ivan Li
Thermoregulation
● Thermoregulation overview
● Essential for organism survival
● Balances internal temperature
● Homeostasis
● Internal stability
● Maintains optimal conditions
● Hypothalamus
● Central temperature control in brain
● Receives input from skin, organs
● Skin
● Epidermis, dermis layers involved
● Contains thermoreceptors, sweat glands, blood vessels
● Sweating
● Eccrine glands
produce sweat
● Evaporation crucial for
cooling
● Controlled by nervous
system
● Vasoconstriction
● Blood vessels narrow
to conserve heat
● Reduces blood flow to skin
● Vasodilation
● Blood vessels widen to release heat
● Enhanced blood flow to skin
● Countercurrent Heat Exchanger
● Blood vessels arranged in parallel loops
● Facilitates heat exchange, conserving body heat
● Thermogenesis (NST)
● Non-shivering thermogenesis
● Generates heat through metabolic processes
● Brown Fat
● Specialized fat tissue
● Produces heat by burning calories
● Common in infants, plays a role in cold-induced
thermogenesis
● Stress-Induced Proteins
● Produced in response to stressors
● Assist in cellular protection and repair
● Heat-Shock Proteins
 torpor as an adaptation?
5. In what situations might
an organism enter a state
of daily torpor?
V. Thermoregulation in Humans
VI. Factors Affecting Thermoregulation
● Synthesized in response to elevated temperatures
● Aid in cellular protection and protein homeostasis
● Daily Torpor
● Short-term, daily reduction in metabolic activity
● Conservation of energy during periods of inactivity
● Observed in some small mammals as an adaptation to
fluctuating environmental conditions
● Hibernation
● Prolonged state of reduced metabolic activity
● Marked by lower body temperature, heart rate, and
respiration
● Adaptation to survive harsh environmental conditions or
scarcity of resources
● Estivation
● Prolonged dormancy during hot or dry periods
● Common in certain reptiles, amphibians, and
invertebrates
● Adaptation to conserve energy and water
● Normal body temperature
● 37°C
● Regulated by hypothalamus
● External temperature
● Heat exchange with surroundings
● Cold or hot conditions affect regulation

VII. Thermoregulation in Other Organisms

● Ectotherms vs. Endotherms
● Ectotherms rely on external sources
● Endotherms generate internal heat
● Behavioral adaptations in reptiles, mammals, birds
● Torpor
● State of reduced metabolic activity
● Decreased body temperature and energy expenditure
● Adaptation to conserve energy during periods of scarcity
VIII Examples of Thermoregulation in Nature
● Animals in extreme environments
● Arctic adaptations (thick fur, countercurrent heat
exchanger)
● Desert adaptations (nocturnal behavior, burrowing)
● Aquatic adaptations (blubber in marine mammals)
IX. Conclusion
● Significance of thermoregulation
● Evolutionary adaptations for survival
● Environmental and physiological factors

Summary Thermoregulation is essential for organism survival as it maintains a balanced

internal temperature. Various responses, including sweating, vasoconstriction,
and vasodilation, help regulate body heat. Organisms may also employ
specialized adaptations like brown fat and undergo torpor, hibernation, or
estivation to conserve energy and cope with environmental changes.