Thermoregulation and its influence on toxicity assessment

The thermoregulatory system of laboratory rodents is susceptible to a variety of chemical toxicants. Because temperature directly affects the reaction of virtually all biological processes, it is critical to consider how changes in the thermoregulatory response to a toxicant may affect physiological, behavioral, and pathological endpoints. Researchers in industry and government laboratories are often faced with addressing how changes in body temperature of their experimental subjects may affect the outcome of a particular toxicity test and/or screening panel. However, many toxicologists are either unaware of the importance or ignore the potential impact of a toxic-induced change in body temperature. This paper endeavors to summarize the importance of thermoregulation in the study of toxicology and propose recommendations for thermometry that researchers may utilize in their toxicological studies.