Homéotermiát

Homéotermiát, also known as homeothermy, is a term used to describe the regulation of body temperature within a narrow range, despite variations in the external environment. This physiological process is characteristic of endothermic animals, including mammals and birds, which maintain a relatively constant internal body temperature through internal metabolic processes.

In homéotermiát, the body's thermoregulatory system works to balance heat production and heat loss. When the external temperature is low, the body increases heat production through mechanisms such as shivering thermogenesis or non-shivering thermogenesis, and reduces heat loss by constricting blood vessels near the skin surface and erecting body hair or feathers. Conversely, when the external temperature is high, the body decreases heat production and increases heat loss through mechanisms such as sweating, panting, or dilating blood vessels near the skin surface.

The ability to maintain a constant internal body temperature allows homéotermiát animals to function optimally in a wide range of environmental conditions. It also enables them to be active and maintain high levels of metabolism throughout the day, rather than being restricted to periods of high environmental temperature, as is the case with ectothermic animals.

The term "homéotermiát" is derived from the Greek words "homoios" meaning "similar" and "therme" meaning "heat". It was first coined by the French physiologist Claude Bernard in the 19th century. Today, the term is widely used in the fields of physiology, ecology, and evolutionary biology to describe the thermoregulatory strategies of endothermic animals.