RE: origins of endothermy

[Jeffrey Martz <jeffmartz@earthlink.net>]

<You probably know, then, of tent bats which "decouple" their 
< phospholipids to increase body heat.  Such leakage has even been 
< tried as a diet method.   But don't try it at home.

[Jeffrey Martz]  
      If you are talking about uncoupling proteins (poteins that decouple 
oxidative phosphorylation from ionic transport), Mickey and I had a discussion 
about that not long ago.  Neither of us are exactly certain precisely what part 
these play in endothermic relative to ectothermic animals.  I don't know if 
endotherms make more regular use of decoupling proteins so as to avoid 
producing a wasteful excess of ATP in the process of producing heat or not.

LN Jeff