1. 1. Adult male golden hamsters ( Mesocricetus auratus) were acclimated at three environmental temperatures ( 35±0·5, 23±0.·5 and 6±1° C ) for 3–6 months. 2. 2. the body weight of the heat-acclimated hamsters was significantly lower than that of the controls, whereas there was no difference between the weight of the controls and cold-acclimated animals ( P</0·01). The kidney weight ratios in each temperature group were significantly different ( P⩽0·001), being highest in the cold and lowest in the heat. 3. 3. The total kidney protein was highest in the cold-acclimated animals and lowest in the heat-acclimated animals ( P⩽0·001). 4. 4. The specific and total kidney alpha-glycerophosphate dehydrogenase activity was elevated during cold acclimation and reduced during heat acclimation. 5. 5. The total kidney activity of isocitric dehydrogenase was significantly higher in the cold than in the control and heat-acclimated animals which were equal. 6. 6. The results support the concept that there are physiological-chemical-metabolic feedback mechanisms that increase the thermogenic response during cold acclimation and suppress it during heat acclimation.
Read full abstract