All articles tagged with #cold tolerance
Polar bears are not actually white; their clear, hollow fur scatters light to appear white, providing camouflage and insulation in the Arctic. Their fur consists of two layers that help trap heat and repel water, while their black skin's purpose remains a mystery. These adaptations are crucial for surviving extreme cold temperatures.
A study published in PNAS has identified a gene, called Iditarod, in fruit flies that is involved in exercise endurance, cold tolerance, and cellular maintenance. The researchers found that flies lacking the Iditarod gene had impaired exercise endurance and were unable to tolerate cold temperatures. The gene is believed to be involved in the autophagy process, which helps clean the cellular environment by removing damaged organelles or toxic byproducts. The researchers also discovered a similar gene, FNDC5, in humans, which is a precursor to the protein irisin known to be involved in exercise benefits and adaptation to cold temperatures. This study suggests that this gene family plays an important role in these physiological processes across different species.
Kathrin "Kat" Kajderowicz, a PhD student at MIT, is researching cold tolerance in hibernating organisms to develop treatments that consider systemic tissue or organ dysfunction. Her work could have applications in organ transplantation and cell or tissue preservation. In the long term, she hopes to catalyze a shift in the medical field towards hypothermic therapies that induce human hibernation-like states for cells, organs, or even whole organisms. Kajderowicz's journey as a scientist began as the daughter of immigrants from Soviet Poland, and she has been recognized for her unique path as a first-generation student. She is also actively involved in building a scientific community through her digital platform, "DNA Deviants," which facilitates conversations on biotechnology trends among researchers and professionals.