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  • Thermoregulation
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Postnatal development of thermoregulation in laboratory mice

Postnatale Entwicklung der Thermoregulation bei Laboratoriumsmäusen

Helgoländer wissenschaftliche Meeresuntersuchungen volume 14, pages 559–571 (1966)Cite this article

Kurzfassung

Laboratoriumsmäuse sind bis zum 7. Tag nach der Geburt beinahe völlig poikilotherm. Diese Periode ist durch starke Kälteresistenz, beträchtliches relatives Gewicht und hohe Sukzinodehydrogenase-Aktivität des braunen Fettgewebes und Thermo-Orthokinese charakterisiert. Möglicherweise ist bereits die Nebennierenrinde an der noch schlecht entwickelten Thermoregulation funktionell beteiligt. Die Zunahme der Wärmeproduktion in der Zeit vom 7. bis 15. Tag nach der Geburt führt zu Homoiothermie bei Außentemperaturen von 20° bis 30° C. Gleichzeitig nimmt die Sukzinodehydrogenase-Aktivität des Lebergewebes zu. Dieser Sachverhalt ist wahrscheinlich durch die Zunahme der Schilddrüsenaktivität bedingt, welche auch die Beeinflussung des Sauerstoffverbrauchs durch Adrenalin verursacht. Das Muskelzittern in der Kälte erreicht im Alter von 15 bis 17 Tagen die Werte der adulten Tiere. Die Catecholamine des Nebennierenmarks nehmen während des Wachstums allmählich zu. Wahrscheinlich sind die Bedingungen für die Thermoregulation durch das Nebennierenmark im Alter von etwa drei Wochen bereits entwickelt. Vergleichend physiologische Befunde an Goldhamstern und Lemmingen werden mitgeteilt. Die Ausbildung des Zentralnervensystems und die darauf folgende Aktivierung des Endokriniums sind wahrscheinlich die wichtigsten kausalen Faktoren in der Entwicklung der Thermogenese.

Summary

  1. 1.

    Laboratory mice exhibit nearly complete poikilothermia up to 7 days after birth. This period is characterized by high cold resistance, high relative weight and succinic dehydrogenase activity of the brown fat and thermo-orthokinesis. It is possible that the adrenal cortex already at this age also participates in thermoregulation.

  2. 2.

    Increase in the heat production between ages of 7 and 15 days, which allows for homoiothermy at ambient temperatures of 20° to 30° C, is accompanied with an increase in the succinic dehydrogenase activity in the liver. This is probably caused by the increase in the thyroid activity which also makes the oxygen consumption sensitive to adrenaline.

  3. 3.

    Muscle shivering reaches the adult level at the age of 15 to 17 days.

  4. 4.

    Catecholamine stores in the adrenal medulla increase steadily during the growth. It is probably that the conditions for adrenomedullary thermoregulation attain the functional level found in adults at the age of about three weeks.

  5. 5.

    Comparative data on the golden hamster and on the Norwegian lemming are presented.

  6. 6.

    Maturation of the central nervous system and subsequent activation of the endocrines are probably the main factors responsible for the development of thermogenesis.

  7. 7.

    The developmental approach seems to be a suitable method for the analysis of complex cybernetic systems in higher animals.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zoophysiological Laboratory, Department of Zoology, University of Turku, Turku, Finland

    Kari Y. H. Lagerspetz

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  1. Kari Y. H. Lagerspetz
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Lagerspetz, K.Y.H. Postnatal development of thermoregulation in laboratory mice. Helgolander Wiss. Meeresunters 14, 559–571 (1966). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01611645

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Helgoland Marine Research

ISSN: 1438-3888

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