If you live in a cold climate, some days any exposed skin is at risk of frostbite. But if we had antifreeze coursing through our veins, we’d be resistant to winter’s bite. And that's not as crazy as it sounds. Scientists have recently demonstrated that mice, genetically engineered to produce an antifreeze protein, are better able to fight off frostbite. Although other animals have this survival skill, it’s the first time it’s been replicated in a mammal.
In the animal kingdom, there are two types of animals: those that can regulate their body temperatures, endotherms, and those that cannot, ectotherms. Mammals are endotherms, and they rely on metabolic and physical processes to maintain a constant internal body temperature. Ectotherms, like many frogs and fish, are at the mercy of external factors to maintain body temperature. When it’s extremely cold out, ice crystals can form inside animals' tissues. Those crystals stab ...
