Biomaterial Database

Preferential utilization of brown adipose tissue lipids during arousal from hibernation in hamsters. 1984

J Nedergaard, and B Cannon

The participation of brown adipose tissue in the arousal process of golden hamsters was studied. The utilization of lipids in different depots of brown adipose tissue was followed gravimetrically. From both the interscapular and the cervical brown adipose tissue depots, 28 mg of lipid were lost during arousal; there was no measurable loss of lipid from the white adipose tissue depots. The total weight of eight identified depots of brown adipose tissue in nonhibernating, cold-acclimated hamsters was estimated to be 1,700 mg, of which 475 g were lipid. It is calculated that a total of 255 mg lipid disappeared from brown adipose tissue during arousal; this lipid is theoretically capable of giving rise to 2.4 kcal (9.9 kJ) of heat. It is concluded that the heat produced by the combustion of the lipid that disappeared from the brown adipose tissue during the arousal process could be the major source of the heat needed to rewarm the hamster from hibernating to euthermic body temperatures.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D008297	Male		Males
D008647	Mesocricetus	A genus in the order Rodentia and family Cricetidae. One species, Mesocricetus auratus or golden hamster is widely used in biomedical research.	Hamsters, Golden,Hamsters, Golden Syrian,Hamsters, Syrian,Mesocricetus auratus,Syrian Golden Hamster,Syrian Hamster,Golden Hamster,Golden Hamster, Syrian,Golden Hamsters,Golden Syrian Hamsters,Hamster, Golden,Hamster, Syrian,Hamster, Syrian Golden,Syrian Hamsters
D009929	Organ Size	The measurement of an organ in volume, mass, or heaviness.	Organ Volume,Organ Weight,Size, Organ,Weight, Organ
D011506	Proteins	Linear POLYPEPTIDES that are synthesized on RIBOSOMES and may be further modified, crosslinked, cleaved, or assembled into complex proteins with several subunits. The specific sequence of AMINO ACIDS determines the shape the polypeptide will take, during PROTEIN FOLDING, and the function of the protein.	Gene Products, Protein,Gene Proteins,Protein,Protein Gene Products,Proteins, Gene
D001833	Body Temperature Regulation	The processes of heating and cooling that an organism uses to control its temperature.	Heat Loss,Thermoregulation,Regulation, Body Temperature,Temperature Regulation, Body,Body Temperature Regulations,Heat Losses,Loss, Heat,Losses, Heat,Regulations, Body Temperature,Temperature Regulations, Body,Thermoregulations
D002001	Adipose Tissue, Brown	A thermogenic form of adipose tissue composed of BROWN ADIPOCYTES. It is found in newborns of many species including humans, and in hibernating mammals. Brown fat is richly vascularized, innervated, and densely packed with MITOCHONDRIA which can generate heat directly from the stored lipids.	Brown Fat,Hibernating Gland,Brown Adipose Tissue,Fat, Brown,Tissue, Brown Adipose
D003080	Cold Temperature	An absence of warmth or heat or a temperature notably below an accustomed norm.	Cold,Cold Temperatures,Temperature, Cold,Temperatures, Cold
D004734	Energy Metabolism	The chemical reactions involved in the production and utilization of various forms of energy in cells.	Bioenergetics,Energy Expenditure,Bioenergetic,Energy Expenditures,Energy Metabolisms,Expenditure, Energy,Expenditures, Energy,Metabolism, Energy,Metabolisms, Energy
D006224	Cricetinae	A subfamily in the family MURIDAE, comprising the hamsters. Four of the more common genera are Cricetus, CRICETULUS; MESOCRICETUS; and PHODOPUS.	Cricetus,Hamsters,Hamster
D006605	Hibernation	The dormant state in which some warm-blooded animal species pass the winter. It is characterized by narcosis and by sharp reduction in body temperature and metabolic activity and by a depression of vital signs.	Hibernation, Artificial,Induced Hibernation,Artificial Hibernation,Artificial Hibernations,Hibernation, Induced,Hibernations,Induced Hibernations