what is temperature regulation?

Answer 1

Temperature regulation means controlling the body temperature. Warm-blooded or endothermic organisms have ways to warm up their bodies and cool off their bodies so they stay at the best temperature for their cells and systems to function.

Answer 2

In addition to the above answers, temperature regulation is basically meant to keep proteins working, not as a means to stay comfortable. When proteins are in an environment above their optimal temperature, they can assume many different conformational shapes, which means that there is a smaller chance that they can bind their ligands in order to catalyze a reaction. Similarly, if they're too cold, they can't have as many shapes since they have less energy, and again there's a smaller chance that they'll fit the ligands.
An example of temperature regulation is desert lizards; ever seen one lift two of its legs, then switch? It's trying to remove excess heat. Seals and other marine mammals will sometimes both cool off or warm up by lifting a flipper into the air. Snakes get enough energy to move around by absorbing heat from the sun.
As an interesting side note, if too high a temperature denatures a protein, there are other molecules called heat shock response proteins that can help refold the protein. These only take effect when it's less constly in terms of cellular energetics to refold rather than to destroy a denatured protein and make a new copy of it.

Answer 3

Temperature regulation can be accomplished utilizing internal or external sources. Animals that regulate their body temperature internally are called endotherms. Endotherms regulate body temperature by utilizing internal processes such as altering bloodflow, muscle contraction, or burning calories. Animals that regulate their body temperature externally are called ectotherms. The body temperature of ectotherms respond directly to there temperature of the environment they are in. An ectotherm regulates body temperature by moving itself to an environment that will allow the animal to heat up or cool down to whatever temperature the animal desires. This is a key concept: ectotherms, like endotherms, regulate their own body temperature, but do so by utilizing its outside environment rather than internal biological processes.

Answer 4

homeostasis maintained by the hypothalumus.