Cold adaptive thermogenesis in small mammals from different geographical zones of China

Li, Qingfen; Sun, Rong; Huang, Chenxi; Wang, Zhengkun; Liu, Xiaotuan; Hou, Jianjum; Liu, Jinsong; Cai, Liquan; Li, Ning; Zhang, Shuzhen; Wang, Yu

doi:10.1016/s1095-6433(01)00357-9

Cited by 110 publications

(59 citation statements)

References 25 publications

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“…Both obligatory and adaptive thermogenesis (RMR and NST) are commonly employed in response to acute cold stress in small mammals living in temperate area (Heldmaier, 1971;Heldmaier and Buchberger, 1985;Hammond and Wunder, 1995;Wang et al, 1999;Li et al, 2001;Hammond and Kristan, 2000;Zhang and Wang, 2006;Zhang and Wang, 2007). In the present study RMR, NST max and NST generally increased with consecutively lower ambient temperatures, whereas the difference in NST max and NST were not statistically different between 8 and -15°C.…”

Section: Thermoregulation and Thermogenesissupporting

confidence: 39%

The energy budget, thermogenic capacity and behavior in Swiss mice exposed to a consecutive decrease in temperatures

Zhao

Chi

Cao

et al. 2010

Journal of Experimental Biology

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SUMMARYThe limitation on sustainable energy intake (SusEI) is important because it establishes the upper energetic limit on the ability of animals to disperse, survive and reproduce. However, there are still arguments about what factors impose that limitation. Thermoregulation in cold environments imposes great energy demands on small mammals. A cold-exposed animal has been suggested to be a model suitable for testing these factors. Here, we examined the changes in food intake and digestible energy intake (DEI) as measures of SusEI, thermogenic capacity and behavioral patterns in Swiss mice exposed to consecutively lower ambient temperatures from 23 to -15°C. Cold-exposed mice showed significant decreases in body mass, fat content of the carcass and body temperature, and increases in DEI compared with controls. The time spent on feeding significantly increased with decreasing temperatures, and time spent on general activity decreased following cold exposure. Resting metabolic rate, nonshivering thermogenesis and serum tri-iodothyronine levels significantly increased in mice exposed to lower temperatures in comparison with controls, whereas these thermogenic variables were not significantly different between 0 and -15°C. It might suggest that SusEI in cold exposed Swiss mice was constrained peripherally by the capacity to produce heat and also by the ability to dissipate body heat, but to a different extent. Moderate cold exposure might result in a relaxation of the heat dissipation limit (HDL), allowing the animals to increase food intake to meet cold stress. When animals are exposed to severe cold, the thermogenenic capacity might reach a ceiling, failing to compensate for the heat loss and which would finally result in lower body temperature and considerable weight loss. This might indicate that the HDL was set at a higher level than peripheral limits for Swiss mice exposed to a consecutive decrease in ambient temperatures.

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Section: Thermoregulation and Thermogenesissupporting

confidence: 39%

The energy budget, thermogenic capacity and behavior in Swiss mice exposed to a consecutive decrease in temperatures

Zhao

Chi

Cao

et al. 2010

Journal of Experimental Biology

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“…The American pika is a small, herbivorous lagomorph that resides primarily in talus (rocky debris) found in mountain ranges and high plateaus of western North America. Pikas worldwide benefit from metabolic and behavioral adaptations allowing them to survive cold winters without hibernating (Li et al 2001, Sheafor 2003. However, because their resting body temperature is only a few degrees below lethal body temperature (Li et al 2001), pikas are sensitive to temperature extremes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

On the generality of a climate-mediated shift in the distribution of the American pika (Ochotona princeps)

Erb

Ray

Guralnick

2011

Ecology

132

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Abstract. Alpine species are among those most threatened by climatic shifts due to their physiological and geographic constraints. The American pika (Ochotona princeps), a small mammal found in mountainous, rocky habitats throughout much of western North America, has experienced recent population extirpations in the Great Basin linked to climatic drivers. It remains unclear whether these patterns of climate-related loss extend to other portions of the species' range. We investigated the distribution of the American pika and the climatic processes shaping this distribution within the Southern Rocky Mountain region. Results from a survey of 69 sites historically occupied by pikas indicate that only four populations have been extirpated within this region over the past few decades. Despite relatively few extirpations, low annual precipitation is implicated as a limiting factor for pika persistence in the Southern Rockies. Extirpations occurred only at sites that were consistently dry over the last century. While there was no climate change signal in our results, these data provide valuable insight into the potential future effects of climate change on O. princeps throughout its range.

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“…1). Over the course of evolution, the plateau pika has acquired a remarkable tolerance to hypoxia and the cold plateau environment by improving the utilization of oxygen (Du et al, 1982), increasing the resting metabolic rate, and having a nonshivering thermogenesis (Li et al, 2001). A number of strategies that are used by the pika to adapt to the harsh environment have been elucidated.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

VEGF₁₈₉Expression Is Highly Related to Adaptation of the Plateau Pika (Ochotona curzoniae) Inhabiting High Altitudes

Guo

Ren

et al. 2013

High Altitude Medicine & Biology

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expression is highly related to adaptation of the plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) inhabiting high altitudes. High Alt Med Biol 14:395-404, 2013.-The plateau pika (Ochotona curzonia) has adapted to high-altitude hypoxia during evolution. Higher microvessel density in specific tissues and a blunted hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction response are the critical components of this adaptation. VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor, has proved to be a key regulator of angiogenesis in response to tissue hypoxia and to play an important role in vascular vasodilation. However, the role of VEGF in adaptation to high-altitude hypoxia in the plateau pika remains unknown. In this study, we cloned cDNAs for VEGF 165 and VEGF 189 and examined their expression in pikas inhabiting altitudes of 3200 and 4750 m. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that pika VEGF 165 and VEGF 189 are evolutionarily conserved. Real-time PCR analysis demonstrates that VEGF 165 and VEGF 189 display tissue and altitude-specific expression patterns. Interestingly, we found that the levels of VEGF 189 mRNA are significantly higher than those of VEGF 165 in the brain and muscle tissues of the pika, which is different from what was previously observed in sea-level mammals. VEGF 189 mRNA levels in brain, muscle, and lung of the pika increased with increased habitat altitude, whereas VEGF 165 shows less change. Our study suggests an important role for VEGF 189 in adaptation to hypoxia by the plateau pika in the highaltitude environment.

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Cold adaptive thermogenesis in small mammals from different geographical zones of China

Cited by 110 publications

References 25 publications

The energy budget, thermogenic capacity and behavior in Swiss mice exposed to a consecutive decrease in temperatures

The energy budget, thermogenic capacity and behavior in Swiss mice exposed to a consecutive decrease in temperatures

On the generality of a climate-mediated shift in the distribution of the American pika (Ochotona princeps)

VEGF₁₈₉Expression Is Highly Related to Adaptation of the Plateau Pika (Ochotona curzoniae) Inhabiting High Altitudes

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Cold adaptive thermogenesis in small mammals from different geographical zones of China

Cited by 110 publications

References 25 publications

The energy budget, thermogenic capacity and behavior in Swiss mice exposed to a consecutive decrease in temperatures

The energy budget, thermogenic capacity and behavior in Swiss mice exposed to a consecutive decrease in temperatures

On the generality of a climate-mediated shift in the distribution of the American pika (Ochotona princeps)

VEGF189Expression Is Highly Related to Adaptation of the Plateau Pika (Ochotona curzoniae) Inhabiting High Altitudes

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VEGF₁₈₉Expression Is Highly Related to Adaptation of the Plateau Pika (Ochotona curzoniae) Inhabiting High Altitudes