Module 6.

Temperature Regulation
_________________________________________________________________________

In this module the students are able to define and explain what homeostasis is. The
students summarize the concepts and how important the temperature regulation is. The students
also on how to differentiate endothermic and ectothermic with an example. They are able to know
the arrangements of the structures of the brain responsible for temperature regulation.
Objectives:
After the completion of the chapter, students should be able to:
1. define homeostasis.
2. Summarize which part of the brain is regulated to maintain temperature.
3. cite an example on how endothermic and ectothermic is applied among humans.
4. make a diagram on how endothermic responses in cold and heat are activated.
5. Organize on how brain parts are responsible to regulate temperature
Lectures:
1. Maintaining the Body’s Homeostasis
2. Thermoregulation
3. Endothermic and Ectothermic
4. Endothermic Response to Cold, and Heat
5. Brain Parts Responsible for Temperature Regulation

References:
Kalat, J., (2018) Biological Psychology

Reading Supplements
LibreTexts Biology (2023). Homeostasis- Thermoregulation.
https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Introductory_and_General_Biology/Book%3A_General_Biolog
y_(Boundless)/33%3A_The_Animal_Body-_Basic_Form_and_Function/33.13%3A_Homeostasis_-
_Thermoregulation
The Buzz ( 2023). Nature curiosity. Why do birds stand on one leg?
https://www.reconnectwithnature.org/news-events/the-buzz/why-do-birds-stand-on-one-leg-nature-
curiosity/
Ray, N., (2023). Homeostasis. What it is and How it Works WebMd. https://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-
guides/what-is-homeostasis
Richardson, M., (2020). How Does the Body Regulate Temperature?
https://www.brainfacts.org/brain-anatomy-and-function/body-systems/2020/how-does-the-body-
regulate-temperature-100720
Wakim, S., & Grewal, M., (2021). Homeostasis and Feedback. LibreTexts Biology.
https://bio.libretexts.org/Bookshelves/Human_Biology/Human_Biology_(Wakim_and_Grewal)/10%3
A_Introduction_to_the_Human_Body/10.7%3A_Homeostasis_and_Feedback
 Temperature Regulation
Have you noticed that the ducks, gulls, or other large birds are standing on one leg and how
they maintain their balance?According to Cornell Lab of Ornithology and cited by The Buzz(2023), in
many cases they keep their one leg underneath their body because they feel cold and they keep and
not lose their body heat during cold days. They want to conserve the heat present in their one leg
(Kalat,2018).
Decades ago, psychologists reported that the infant rats were deficient in terms of learning,
eating, and drinking and it showed that the real problem was temperature controlled. They test animals
at different temperatures and compared to adult humans. Adult humans were comfortable in the cold
but among baby rats were dangerous. The infant rats need to isolate their body from colds. Some of
the tasks are not capable in a cold room among babies and they can do better in a warmer room.
There are certain studies also that female rats learned best during their fertility period (estrus)
and other studies showed they learned best a day or two before the fertility period(proestrus). It
depends on the temperature of the room. Rats in estrus are able to do better in cooler environments
because they generate so much heat on their own (presumption). Rats in proestrus can do better in
warmer environments.
Maintaining the Body’s Homeostasis

Homeostasis refers to the physiological process that keeps our body in equilibrium and order
for us to function normally. If there is a presence of fluctuation our body strives to maintain the
homeostasis.Shivering is one of the complaints of our body if we feel cold. We shiver in order to
produce heat and to increase the body temperature. Likewise, if the temperature increases or
overheats, the defense mechanism of our body is sweating in order to decrease the body temperature.
What if we drink alcohol and /or use drugs? In order to maintain homeostasis, our body tries
to return to its normal state through the help of the liver, kidneys, and lungs. If a person reaches the
point of intoxication the stomach becomes upset or possibly a person vomits in order to stop the person
from consuming more in order to return the body into homeostasis.
According to psychologist Walter B. Cannon (1929) the term homeostasis is about temperature
regulation and other biological processes are maintained within the fixed range. It resembles the
thermostat in the house with heating and cooling systems. If the temperature in the house drops below
minimum, it triggers the thermostat to produce heat. If the temperature increases above the maximum
temperature the thermostat turns on the air conditioner.
Homeostatic processes in animals make physiological and behavioral activities maintain
certain variables within a set range. In set - point theory it is related to homeostasis. If the calcium level
deficient in the diet and the blood concentration decreases below the set point of 0.16 g/L ( grams per
liter), the deposited calcium in your bones releases additional calcium in the blood. If the calcium level
in the blood rises above 0.16 g/l.you store the excess in your bones and the rest is excreted. Similar
mechanisms keep the constant levels of water, oxygen, glucose, sodium chloride, protein, fat, and
acidity. Negative feedback is a process that reduces the discrepancies from the set point.
Brain Parts Responsible for Temperature Regulation
The body temperature is regulated like a reflex unconsciously. The healthy human body has an
internal body temperature of 37° despite that the others are slightly vary. The body does tiny shifts
depending on the temperature of the environment and the output of the body.
When the body temperature rises the body cells are prone to high temperature. If the
temperature rises into 40°C it can lead to cell dysfunction and eventually can cause cell death. In the
brain if in long- term consequences it leads to permanent brain damage. If the body temperature rises
the heart pumps hard to the periphery in order to cool the body. If the heart muscle becomes weak the
cardiac output decreases , the organ supplies of oxygen decreases including the brain.

In the brain the one that controls that reflex is the hypothalamus. It is also used for secretion of
the hormone, sleep regulation, and other functions. The hypothalamus receives input from
temperature receptors in the skin, internal organs, and gut. If a person’s working the muscles produce
a huge amount of heat that includes the heart, guts, and even the muscles of the diaphragm that
enable it to breathe. It is a full- time job to maintain the proper body temperature even if you aren’t .
actively working any muscles..
The preoptic area (POA) of the hypothalamus, together with adjacent areas of the
hypothalamus and septum integrate with the incoming messages from the thermoreceptors with the
structures that trigger an appropriate response to high temperature. The posterior portion of the
hypothalamus is used to initiate responses to cooler core temperatures like shivering, sweating, and
changes in the blood flow depends on the area which is close to the hypothalamus, especially the
anterior hypothalamus and the preoptic area (preoptic means nearly the optic chiasm, where the optic
nerves cross). In order to receive input from the skin receptors and the spinal cord, the hypothalamus
is sensitive to the core temperature reflection from the thermoreceptors within the hypothalamus.
The POA is made up of three types of neurons which are the warm- sensitive, cold- sensitive,
and temperature- insensitive. The warm -sensitive neurons inhibit the cold- sensitive neurons and
increase the firing rates as the core temperature increases. If the temperature drops, it reduces the
inhibition of the cold- sensitive neurons, decreases the warm- sensitive neurons in response to
increasing their firing rates. Temperature- insensitive neurons retain a fairly steady rate in response
under all temperature conditions. Temperature set points reflect the comparison of the temperature -
sensitive activity and temperature- insensitive neurons.
Adaptation and Temperature
Our sweats come from the water in the blood. If the environment is hot, it causes dehydration
and reduces the blood flow in the brain. We need to replace water by drinking a lot of water because if
we cannot rep[ace it, the blood volume decreases. If the blood volume decreases , cardiac output
decreases, slows the blood flow in the brain and to the other organs.Dropping so much blood flow
can lead to heat stroke.
The function of the cells starts to slow if the temperature of the body drops . A person becomes
confused or disoriented due to the neurons in the cerebrum or cerebral cortex sending signals.
Hypothermia is a threat to the heart and the brain areas. If the internal temperature drops to
dangerous levels, the regulation of the heart degrades and the victims develop arrhythmias - irregular
heartbeats that change the flow of the blood to the rest of the body. If the blood is not pumping to the
key organs especially the brain then it makes a person in trouble. Cardiac arrhythmias lead to cardiac
arrest.

Increasing and Decreasing Temperature

The Skin
The skin has an important role in maintaining the
constant body temperature. These are the components in
order to maintain the body homeostasis such as the hairs,
sweat glands, erectile muscles, and blood vessels. The one
that helps to detect the external temperatures are the
receptors and the sensory neurons. If the body temperature
increases it has protective mechanisms in order to reduce
the enzymes and denaturation.

These are the two groups based on how they regulate

the body temperature:
1. Ectotherms- derived from the Greek word “ ektos”
meaning “outside”. Ectotherms are more
dependent on the behavioral device. They depend on external factors in order to control the
core temperature.They move to the right type of environment . They seek an environment with
the temperature that meets their needs (Khan Academy, ND).
● Examples are amphibians, reptiles, and fishes.
● They exchange their heat through radiation, conduction, sometimes aided through
convection - and evaporation.

Low and High Temperature Responses of Ectotherms:

● If the temperature is too cold, the ectotherm's response is to increase the core
temperature like moving into a sunny area; if the temperature is too hot it moves into a
shady area.
● If the temperature is warmer , ectotherms are more active and higher in activity because
there is no need to conserve energy in order to maintain their core temperature. If the
temperature is cooler, they have low activity to conserve heat in order to maintain their
temperature in this area.
 2. Endotherms - derived from the Greek word “endon” meaning “within”. In order to maintain the
animals optimum body temperature they need in different environments. endotherms. They
have an ability to maintain their body temperature through internal metabolic activity which
means they have a high metabolic rate. Unlike ectotherms, they do not depend on the external
environment to control their core temperature. But they can utilize in the same way their external
environment as ectotherms like moving from shade to sun in order to increase their core
temperature.
● Examples are mammals and birds.

Responses to Decreasing Body Temperature

If the body temperature decreases too much the responses are in order to increase the
body temperature:

1. Blood vessels constrict - vasoconstriction refers to less blood able to pass nearly to the skin
so less heat is lost with the environment,
2. Shivering - the skeletal muscles contract during shivering and quickly relax Meaning, that
energy is released as heat from the muscles that are provided for shivering.
3. Skin hairs stand up - the hair erector muscles contract , causing the hair to stand up on their
end. This causes more air to trap near the effect of this, losing less heat as it gives insulation.
4. Sweat less- if you sweat less if it's cold, you are losing less heat.

● Shivering is initiated in the muscles if the specialized nerve cells detect a drop in temperature .
It relays the information to the brain. It warms the blood flowing through them. This is negative
feedback that controls the action and restores the action to change the output of the system.
The brain triggers an action if it detects that the temperature is not in optimal condition. Negative
feedback stabilizes the important feature of the homeostasis.
 Responses to Increasing Body Temperature

1. Blood vessels dilate - if the blood vessels tend to dilate this is known as vasodilation. It happens
when the blood passes closely to the skin and loses more heat known as conduction to the
environment.
2. Sweating - the sweat glands open up and the skin releases more sweat through evaporation. The
liquid sweat absorbs heat increases through kinetic energy of molecules enough to overcome and
enable the liquid to evaporate into water vapor.
3. Skin hair lies flat - the hair erector relaxes muscle, makes the hair on the skin flat.

Fever because of illness results if the chemical byproducts of bacteria, and viruses
called as pyrogens enter the brain. Having a fever makes a person feel uncomfortable but it has
beneficial effects in fighting against diseases. Raising the host’s set point it kills many invading
organisms guiding the immunity. Hyperthermia is a life-threatening condition in which the body
temperature increases more than the normal temperature. Heatstroke is a serious form of
hyperthermia, life threatening and if the temperature cannot be controlled. Hypothermia is a potential
fatal core if the body temperature is below the normal level.
 Thirst: Regulation of the Body’s Fluid

As animals moved out of the ocean environment onto dry land, they devised ways to bring part of their
watery environment with them. Maintaining appropriate fluid levels is essential to survival. The fluids of
the body contain many dissolved chemical molecules. Molecules that have been dissolved in a fluid are
known as solutes and the fluid that contains the solutes is known as a solution. If a solute breaks into
ions when it is dissolved, it is referred to as an electrolyte. You might recognize this term from
laboratory blood tests or from the advertising of sports drinks. Some of the important electrolytes
involved in healthy body functioning include sodium, calcium, potassium, chloride, magnesium, and
bicarbonate. As we will see shortly, sodium is the most important electrolyte for managing the body’s
fluid levels

Intracellular and Extracellular Fluids