Glossary
The English version of our glossary is currently under construction and will be regularly updated.
Thermal hysteresis
Thermal hysteresis refers to the difference (hysteresis) between the melting point and freezing point of a given solution.
Thermal hysteresis (TH) refers to the difference (hysteresis) between the melting point and freezing point of a given solution. In living organisms, thermal hysteresis is used in reference to biological “antifreeze” (e.g. proteins that protect from freezing, also known as thermal hysteresis proteins (THPs)) and has been identified in animals, plants, bacteria and fungi. These proteins lower the freezing point and reduce the formation of ice crystals in a non-colligative manner by binding to the surface of forming crystals.