thermoregulationthe

Thermoregulation is the physiological process by which an organism maintains its internal body temperature within a narrow, optimal range despite fluctuations in the external environment. It supports metabolic stability and organismal function by balancing heat production and heat loss.

Heat is produced through basal metabolism, muscle activity, shivering, and non-shivering thermogenesis in brown adipose tissue. Heat is lost by vasodilation, sweating or panting, evaporation, and through conduction, convection, and radiation. The relative contributions of these processes vary by species, activity level, and environment.

Organisms differ in their reliance on environmental heat. Endotherms generate most of their body heat metabolically and typically maintain a relatively constant core temperature. Ectotherms rely largely on external heat sources and have body temperatures that vary with ambient conditions.

Regulation centers on the hypothalamus, which acts as a thermostat. Negative feedback adjusts heat production and loss to move the core temperature toward a set point. Fever is a deliberate elevation of body temperature in response to infection or inflammation.

Thermoregulation has broad implications in physiology, ecology, medicine, and climate biology. Dysregulation can cause hyperthermia or hypothermia, and extreme temperatures pose risks to health and survival across species.