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Thermoregulation
Temperature regulation (Thermoregulation) in Animals
Temperature should be maintained at an optimum range to avoid denaturing the enzymes and eventually killing the cells.
Different organisms have different mechanisms of controlling their body temperature within an optimum range.
(a) Physiological mechanisms
Homoiotherms (Endotherms) are animals that maintain a constant internal body temperature.
Examples; mammals and birds.
The physiological mechanism involved in thermoregulation include:
- Increased or reduced metabolic reactions e.g. respiration
- Increased or reduced sweating
- Raising or lowering of hair
- Vasodilation or vasoconstriction.
- Shivering or no shivering.
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