Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

  • Letter
  • Published:

Microcalorimetry of isolated mammalian cells

Nature volume 267, pages 518–520 (1977)Cite this article

Abstract

USING microcalorimetry1,2, we have measured the heat evolved by isolated cells of brown adipose tissue (BAT). This tissue generates heat in newborn and cold-adapted mammals and in hibernators during arousal from hibernation and during cold stress3–5. The method can be applied generally in work with, for example, mitochondria and isolated cells and has, especially in studies of thermogenesis, the advantage of measuring the gross calorific output of all processes in the cell. Our results, compared with others obtained by routine methods, show that it is an oversimplification to consider BAT as the major source of heat during arousal.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Access options

Buy this article

  • Purchase on Springer Link
  • Instant access to full article PDF
Buy now

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Wadsö, I. Acta chem. scand. 22, 927–937 (1968).

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Wadsö, I. in New Techniques in Biophysics and Cell Biology 2 (eds Pain, R. H. & Smith, B. J.) 85–126 (Wiley, New York, 1975).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Smith, R. E. & Horwitz, B. A. Physiol. Rev. 49, 330–425 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Lindberg, O. Brown Adipose Tissue (Elsevier, New York and London, 1970).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Jansky, L. Biol. Rev. 48, 85–132 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Pettersson, B. & Vallin, I. Eur. J. Biochem. 62, 383–390 (1976).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Prusiner, S. B., Cannon, B. & Lindberg, O. Eur. J. Biochem. 6, 15–22 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Pettersson, B. Eur. J. Biochem. 72, 235–240 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Girardier, L., Seydoux, J., Giacobino, J. P. & Chinet, A. in Regulation of Depressed Metabolism and Thermogenesis (eds Jansky, L. & Musacchia, X. J.) 196–212 (Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Slater, E. C., Rosing, J. & Mol, A. Biochim. biophys. Acta 292, 534–553 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Cannon, B., Eur, J. Biochem. 23, 125–135 (1971).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Bernson, V. S. M. & Nicholls, D. G. Eur. J. Biochem. 47, 517–525 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Peakin, G. J. Experientia 29, 801–802 (1973).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Prusiner, S. & Poe, M. Nature 220, 235–237 (1968).

    Article  ADS  Google Scholar 

  15. Ivlev, V. G. Biochem. Z. 275, 49–55 (1934).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Himms-Hagen, J. Adv. Enz. Res. 8, 131–150 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Himms-Hagen, J. in Handbuch der Experimentellen Pharmakologie 33 (eds Blaschko, H. & Muscholl, E.) 363–462 (Springer, Berlin, 1972).

    Google Scholar 

  18. Nicholls, D. G., Grav, H. J. & Lindberg, O. Eur. J. Biochem. 31, 526–533 (1972).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Hittelman, K. J., Lindberg, O. & Cannon, B. Eur. J. Biochem. 11, 183–192 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Cannon, B., Romert, L., Sundin, U. & Barnard, T. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 56 B, 87–99 (1977).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Flatmark, T. & Pedersen, J. I. Biochim. biophys. Acta 416, 53–103 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Heim, T. & Hull, D. J. Physiol., Lond. 186, 42–55 (1966).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Bieber, L. L., Pettersson, B. & Lindberg O. Eur. J. Biochem. 58, 375–381 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  24. Hardman, M. J. & Hull, D. J. Physiol., Land. 206, 263–273 (1970).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Lindberg, O., Bieber, L. L. & Houstek, J. in Regulation of Depressed Metabolism and Thermogenesis (eds Jansky, L. & Musacchia, X. J.) (Thomas, Springfield, Illinois, 1976).

    Google Scholar 

  26. Schenk, H., Heim, T., Mende, T., Varga, F. & Goetze, E. Eur. J. Biochem. 58, 15–22 (1975).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Czech, M. P., Lawrence, J. C. & Lynn, W. S. J. biol. Chem. 249, 5421–5427 (1974).

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Hull, D. & Segall, M. M. J. Phvsiol., Lond. 181, 449–457 (1965).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Alexander, G. & Williams, D. J. Physiol., Lond. 198, 251–276 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Imai, Y., Horwitz, B. A. & Smith, R. E. Proc. Soc. exp. Biol. Med. 127, 717–719 (1968).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Jansky, L. & Mejsnar, J. in Nonshivering Thermogenesis (ed. Jansky, L.) 139–143 (Swets & Zeitlinger, Amsterdam, 1971).

    Google Scholar 

  32. Himms-Hagen, J. Can. J. Physiol. Pharmac. 52, 225–229 (1974).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  33. Challoner, D. R. & Steinberg, D., J. Physiol. 210, 280–286 (1966).

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Feist, D. D. & Quay,W. B. Comp. Biochem. Physiol. 31, 111–119 (1969).

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Wenner-Gren Institute, University of Stockholm, Norrtullsgatan 16, S-113 45, Stockholm, Sweden

    JAN NEDERGAARD, BARBARA CANNON & OLOV LINDBERG

Authors
  1. JAN NEDERGAARD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. BARBARA CANNON
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. OLOV LINDBERG
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

NEDERGAARD, J., CANNON, B. & LINDBERG, O. Microcalorimetry of isolated mammalian cells. Nature 267, 518–520 (1977). https://doi.org/10.1038/267518a0

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/267518a0

This article is cited by

Comments

By submitting a comment you agree to abide by our Terms and Community Guidelines. If you find something abusive or that does not comply with our terms or guidelines please flag it as inappropriate.

Search

Advanced search

Quick links

Nature Briefing

Sign up for the Nature Briefing newsletter — what matters in science, free to your inbox daily.

Get the most important science stories of the day, free in your inbox. Sign up for Nature Briefing