B1 - Homeostatic Mechanisms Flashcards
What is homeostasis?
Maintaining a stable environment
What is the name of the gland in the brain that regulates body temperature?
Hypothalamus
What is the negative feedback system?
- A reaction that causes a decrease in function
- a response that causes an opposite output due to its stimulus to maintain ideal level of whatever is being regulated
- a system that contains constant levels of body function
What systems is homeostasis controlled by?
- the nervous system
- the endocrine system
Explain how the 4 steps of how the negative feedback system works
- There is a change in the body’s external environment e.g. the room
- A change takes place in the body’s internal environment
- The receptors detect the change and send messages to the brain
- Brain organises changes to bring the body back to normal
Give examples of receptors in our body:
- skin
- nose
- eyes
- tongue
Explain thermal regulation when there is an increase in temperature detected:
- A message is sent to the brain automatically and the correct action is taken
- Our body hairs lie flat which allows heat to escape
- Our sweat glands in the skin release more sweat which cools the skin down
- Our arterials become wider which allows blood to flow to the skin causing more heat to the body which is called vasodilation
- Our temperature falls and our body temperature is back to normal
Explain thermal regulation when there is a decrease in temperature detected:
- A message is sent to the brain automatically and the correct action is taken
- Our body hairs rise to trap heat from the skin
- No sweat is released to the sweat glands causing less heat to skin
- Our arterials begin to shrink, allowing less blood to reach the skin which helps to keep more heat in the body. This is called vasoconstriction
- Our muscles contract which causes us to shiver, this produces energy which is released as heat to increase metabolism
- Our temperature rises and we are back to normal body temperature
Give 3 reasons why babies lose their body temperature more quickly?
- They have a large body surface area in relation to the amount of circulation fluid
- Their hypothalamus is immature
- They have insufficient fat layers and can’t shiver
Give 3 reasons why elderly people are less able to regulate?
- Less mobile
- Losing nerve sensations which makes receptions work less effectively meaning their body is not telling them they are cold
- Eating less food
What is hyperthermia?
A high body temperature
What is hypothermia?
A low body temperature
What does “hyper” mean?
Too much
What does “hypo” mean?
Too little
Give me some symptoms of hypothermia:
- shivering
- fainting
- brain functions slowed down
- confusion
- death
What is a normal body temperature?
37.5 deg cel
What is a mild body temp?
32 deg cel
What is a severe body temp?
28 deg cel
What does our internal environment mean?
The conditions within our body
What does our external environment mean?
The conditions within the outside of our body
Apart from temperature, what else does homeostasis also apply to?
- water levels
- blood sugar
- heart rate
- breathing rate
What does homeostasis being autonomic mean?
The unconscious acts our body makes
What is glucose?
Sugar
What does glucose do for us?
Gives us energy
What is glycogen?
A stored form of glucose
What does glycogen do for us?
This is a food type that breaks down into glucose
Which 3 organs are involved in control of blood glucose?
- The stomach
- The liver
- The pancreas
What does the stomach do?
This is where food goes after eating
What does the liver do?
This converts glucose into glycogen for storage
What does the pancreas do?
This monitors the concentration of glucose in the bloodstream and releases hormones of possible
What 2 hormones are involved in the pancreas?
- Insulin
- Glucagon
Explain how insulin in the liver gets released
The liver does covert glucose into glycogen and then blood glucose goes down
Explain how glucagon in the liver gets released?
The liver does covert glucose into glycogen and then blood glucose goes up
What does insulin in the pancreas do?
This lowers blood sugar levels by making the liver covert glucose in the blood into glycogen which is stored in the liver
What does glucagon in the pancreas do?
This is a hormone involved in blood glucose regulation and raises blood sugar levels by instructing the liver to cover some of its glycogen to store into glucose and release it into the blood
What is the normal blood sugar level?
4-8 mmo1\milimoles per litre