Abstract
Conventional thermal biology has elucidated the physiological function of temperature homeostasis through spontaneous thermogenesis and responses to variations in environmental temperature in organisms. In addition to research on individual physiological phenomena, the molecular mechanisms of fever and physiological events such as temperature-dependent sex determination have been intensively addressed. Thermosensitive biomacromolecules such as heat shock proteins (HSPs) and transient receptor potential (TRP) channels were systematically identified, and their sophisticated functions were clarified. Complementarily, recent progress in intracellular thermometry has opened new research fields in thermal biology. High-resolution intracellular temperature mapping has uncovered thermogenic organelles, and the thermogenic functions of brown adipocytes were ascertained by the combination of intracellular thermometry and classic molecular biology. In addition, intracellular thermometry has introduced a new concept, “thermal signaling”, in which temperature variation within biological cells acts as a signal in a cascade of intriguing biological events.
Highlights
Conventional thermal biology has elucidated the physiological function of temperature homeostasis through spontaneous thermogenesis and responses to variations in environmental temperature in organisms
The temperature increase in brown adipose tissue (BAT) cells was found to depend on mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), and heat production was suppressed in cells lacking the gene required for the expression of UCP139,43,44
Studies on cell temperature measurement in brain tissues revealed that ischemic stimuli, such as traumatic accidents, increase spontaneous heat generation (Fig. 2c). This intracellular temperature increase due to enhanced neuronal activity triggers the opening of the TRPV4 channels of the cell, followed by the progression of severe brain edema[51]
Summary
Humans have considerable variability in body temperature in relation to circadian rhythms, including ultradian and infradian rhythms, and in relation to race, age, voluntary exercise, and disease[2]. The temperature increase in BAT cells was found to depend on mitochondrial uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1), and heat production was suppressed in cells lacking the gene required for the expression of UCP139,43,44 These intracellular temperature changes in BAT cells have been correlated with the phenotype of temperature maintenance and respiratory activity in individuals[39,43,44]. Studies on cell temperature measurement in brain tissues revealed that ischemic stimuli, such as traumatic accidents, increase spontaneous heat generation (Fig. 2c) This intracellular temperature increase due to enhanced neuronal activity triggers the opening of the TRPV4 channels of the cell, followed by the progression of severe brain edema[51]. This is an important example in intracellular thermometry because the temperature rise associated with cellular activity leads to another physiological response
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