Department of Zoology, University of Durham, Durham City, U.K.
Abstract:
1. 1.|Evidence is presented implicating cellular membranes in cellular heat injury. It is proposed this is the site of the primary lesion.
2. 2.|Secondary and tertiary events, resulting from the primary lesion, cause organism death. Those events may be unique to the life style and grade of organisation of the organism.
3. 3.|Thus hyperthermia may cause “excessive” fluidisation of membranes and so cause impairment of membrane permeability and disrupt the stability of membrane enzymes.
4. 4.|Homeoviscous adaptation of membrane fluidity may well have an important role in resistance acclimation as well as resistance adaptation.