Biomaterial Database

Thermoregulatory ability of female rats during pregnancy and lactation. 1980

E A Knecht, and M A Toraason, and G L Wright

Thermoregulatory ability of female rats was examined before pregnancy, during gestation, and during lactation. Thermoregulatory pattern, colonic temperature, evaporative water loss, and survival time were monitored during terminal heating (39.5 +/- 0.9 degrees C) designed to allow prolonged survival (3-4 h) with a sustained thermoregulatory effort. Results confirmed our previously reported observation of decreased thermoregulatory ability in lactating dams, with evidence suggesting thermoregulatory impairment during late gestation. Lactating dams displayed a type III thermoregulatory pattern, and established a rate of evaporative water loss effective for thermostasis at an elevated colonic temperature. However, survival time was significantly decreased compared to nonreproducing females. In contrast, prior heat acclimation tended to increase the survival time of lactating dams. It was concluded that the reduction in thermoregulatory ability observed in lactating dams was related to their inability to maintain a rate of evaporative water loss effective for thermostasis at an elevated colonic temperature.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007774	Lactation	The processes of milk secretion by the maternal MAMMARY GLANDS after PARTURITION. The proliferation of the mammary glandular tissue, milk synthesis, and milk expulsion or let down are regulated by the interactions of several hormones including ESTRADIOL; PROGESTERONE; PROLACTIN; and OXYTOCIN.	Lactation, Prolonged,Milk Secretion,Lactations, Prolonged,Milk Secretions,Prolonged Lactation,Prolonged Lactations
D011247	Pregnancy	The status during which female mammals carry their developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero before birth, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Gestation,Pregnancies
D011270	Pregnancy, Animal	The process of bearing developing young (EMBRYOS or FETUSES) in utero in non-human mammals, beginning from FERTILIZATION to BIRTH.	Animal Pregnancies,Animal Pregnancy,Pregnancies, Animal
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
D001834	Body Water	Fluids composed mainly of water found within the body.	Water, Body
D005260	Female		Females
D006358	Hot Temperature	Presence of warmth or heat or a temperature notably higher than an accustomed norm.	Heat,Hot Temperatures,Temperature, Hot,Temperatures, Hot
D000222	Adaptation, Physiological	The non-genetic biological changes of an organism in response to challenges in its ENVIRONMENT.	Adaptation, Physiologic,Adaptations, Physiologic,Adaptations, Physiological,Adaptive Plasticity,Phenotypic Plasticity,Physiological Adaptation,Physiologic Adaptation,Physiologic Adaptations,Physiological Adaptations,Plasticity, Adaptive,Plasticity, Phenotypic
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D051381	Rats	The common name for the genus Rattus.	Rattus,Rats, Laboratory,Rats, Norway,Rattus norvegicus,Laboratory Rat,Laboratory Rats,Norway Rat,Norway Rats,Rat,Rat, Laboratory,Rat, Norway,norvegicus, Rattus