Experiments performed, parameters recorded, and ambient temperatures used in each experimental setup
| Setup | Experiment | Parameter(s) recorded | Ambient temperature(s) used | Midpoint of the thermo-neutral zonea (reference) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thermocouple | Electrolytic (or sham) DMH lesion + cold exposure | Colonic Tb | 28°C (neutral) → 10°C (deep subneutral) | 28°C (current study) |
| Electrolytic (or sham) DMH lesion + heat exposure | 26°C (light subneutral) → 32°C (supraneutral) | |||
| Thermal (or sham) DMH lesion + cold exposure | 28°C (neutral) → 9°C (deep subneutral) | |||
| Chemical (or sham) DMH lesion + cold exposure | 28°C (neutral) → 7°C (deep subneutral) | |||
| Respirometry | Electrolytic (or sham) DMH lesion + LPS, 5000 μg/kg (or saline), i.v. | Colonic Tb, tail Tsk, HLI, VO2 | 21°C (subneutral) | 26°C (Steiner et al., 2007) |
| Electrolytic (or sham) DMH lesion + LPS, 10 μg/kg (or saline), i.v. | 26°C (neutral) | |||
| Thermogradient | Electrolytic (or sham) DMH lesion + LPS, 5000 μg/kg, i.v. | Abdominal Tb, preferred Ta | Freely selected from 15–30°C (subneutral to supraneutral) | 24°C (Almeida et al., 2006a) |
| Electrolytic (or sham) DMH lesion + LPS, 10 μg/kg, i.v. | ||||
| Thermal (or sham) DMH lesion + LPS, 5000 μg/kg, i.v. | ||||
| Chemical (or sham) DMH lesion + LPS, 5000 μg/kg, i.v. |
For each ambient temperature, its relation to the thermoneutral zone in the given setup is indicated.
↵aPlease note that the same animal has different thermoneutral zones in different experimental setups because the heat exchange between the body and the environment depends, not only on the Ta, but also on several other physical factors (Romanovsky et al., 2002; Romanovsky, 2007a).