Biology 2601A/B Lecture Notes - Lecture 7: Eurosta, Antifreeze Protein, Cryoprotectant
6 Oct 2015
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Document Summary
These things that make insects undergo behavioral, physiological and biochemical changes to survive the winter. Insects are also ectoderms cold outside, their body gets cold as well: insect (head, thorax and body) Thorax: muscules when cold they disengage their wings and vibrate them to produce heat (bees heterotherms: some insects just get cold and survive. As environmental temperature decreases, so do the insects body. As insects cool down, they pass certain threshold where it gets difficult: certain cellular processes get harder. Chill coma: reversible state of unconsciousness (still alive but paralyzed) Supercooling point: body water in insect freezes some insects can survive fully frozen freezing of water is exothermic so tiny release of heat. Chilling injury: loss of membrane fluidity (phase transitions) As cools down, fluidity goes from gel like phase to crystal. Cells start to die: loss of ion homeostasis membrane depolarization.
