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Cold Shock Proteins

Meaning

Cold Shock Proteins (CSPs) are a class of evolutionarily conserved proteins rapidly synthesized by cells in response to a sudden and significant decrease in ambient temperature, a phenomenon known as cold shock. These proteins, such as RNA-binding motif protein 3 (RBM3) and cold-inducible RNA-binding protein (CIRP), act as molecular chaperones to stabilize cellular processes and maintain homeostasis under conditions of thermal stress. They play a key role in cellular adaptation and survival mechanisms.