Article snapshot taken from Wikipedia with creative commons attribution-sharealike license.
Give it a read and then ask your questions in the chat.
We can research this topic together.
This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Miscellaneous131 (talk | contribs) at 17:11, 11 July 2013 (Hormones that increase the expression of uncoupling proteins). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.
An uncoupling protein is a mitochondrial inner membrane protein that can dissipate the proton gradient before it can be used to provide the energy for oxidative phosphorylation.
Uncoupling proteins play a role in normal physiology, as in cold exposure or hibernation, because the energy is used to generate heat (see thermogenesis) instead of producing ATP. However, other substances such as 2,4-dinitrophenol and CCCP also serve the same uncoupling function, and are considered poisonous. Salicylic acid is also an uncoupling agent and will deplete the body of ATP and increase body temperature if taken in excess. Uncoupling proteins are increased by thyroid hormone, norepinephrine, epinephrine, and leptin.
.svg){kind=small}