Immunology and Thermoregulation

Within certain limits, animals can compensate environmental stress and changes in the environment (homeostasis). Homeostasis is the basis of the adaptive capacity of an individual. The amount and the predictability of stress determine how much adaptive capacity is used to survive, and what is available for health, disease resistance, welfare, and (re)production. This is true both for abiotic as well as biotic loads of an individual. This introduction course deals with the various mechanisms through which environmental factors influence the animal (as far as known), and the consequences of the effects on (infectious) disease resistance, and the capacity to (re)produce. The effects of environmental factors (temperature, light, dust, air and climate) and their effects on homeotherm animals will be discussed. This should contribute to obtain knowledge on the basal demands of animals. This course is based on the disciplines of immunology, environmental physiology and thermoregulation of animals as parameters of health, welfare and production.

• Explain how humans and animals regulate their body temperature

• Explain how climate factors, animal (species) bound factors and environmental factors and their interactions influence thermoregulation

• Explain how the immune system of humans and animals protects against infections by pathogens and how it detects and cleans up abnormal body cells and molecules

• Explain how climate factors, animal (species) bound factors and environmental factors and their interactions influence the immune system

• Reason which interactions between immunology and thermoregulation can play a role in the prevalence and prevention of diseases and other disorders

• ? (10%) In case of a failed essay, students can hand in a revised version via Brightspace before the resit exam.
• ? (90%) Each of the two parts: thermoregulation (45%) and immunology (45%) requires a minimum of 5.5
• ? (%) Compulsory attandence at practicals

ZSS06100 Laboratory Safety Cell biology, Zoology, Human and Animal Physiology

• A reader for Thermoregulation (available via Brightspace). Handbook Immunology: Days Veterinary Immunology: Principles and Practice', Third edition 2025, ISBN 978-1-032-31717-5 (highly recommended).