B3.3 Maintaining internal environments Flashcards
Homeostasis definition
- means keeping a ‘steady state’
- In the body, temp, pH, water and glucose must all stay as constant as possible
- important so reactions can happen at appropriate rate
Core body temp
- keeping a core body temp of 37°C ensures enzymes can work efficiently
How is body temp controlled?
- the thermoregulatory centre is found in the brain (hypothalamus)
- it contains receptors which monitor the temp of the blood flowing through it
- It also receives information from the temp receptors in the skin
- if a change in temp is detected, impulses are sent to effectors
- These effectors respond and return body temp to normal
What happens to skin when you are hot?
- Arterioles (small blood vessels) widen, which increases the blood flow close to the skin surface. TMT more heat is lost to surroundings by radiation this is called vasodilation
- sweat glands in skin produce more sweat - when this evapourates from the skin’s surface it cools the body
- Hair erector muscles relax, allowing hair to lie flat, less air is trapped so less insulation
What happens to skin when you are cold?
Arterioles become narrower and decrease blood flow near skin surface vasoconstriction and reduces amount of heat lost by radiation
- Sweat glands stop producing sweat - less heat is lost through evap of sweat
- Hair erector muscles contract, raising hair & trapping a layer of insulating air next to the body - works better on animals
- Muscles contract spontaneously (shivering) which releases heat from respiration which helps raise blood temp
Insulin definition
Hormone made by pancreas. regulates amount of glucose in blood
tells your body to turn glucose into glycogen
Glucose definition
Sugar in respiration to transfer energy
Glycogen definition
Storage substance made of glucose - stored in the liver
Glucagon definition
Hormone that changes glycogen in the liver back into glucose - made by the pancreas
Diabetes definition
Condition where blood glucose is unable to be controlled
High blood glucose
- Pancreas detects increase in blood glucose levels & secretes insulin
Insulin causes cells (particularly muscle cells) to absorb more glucose from the blood - resulting in increased respiration and release of energy - Liver cells also take up more glucose, converting excess glucose to glycogen (storage carbs made of a long chain of glucose molecules)
- blood glucose is lowered
Low blood glucose
- Pancreas detects decrease in blood glucose levels & secretes glucagon
- Glucagon cause glycogen stores in the liver to be converted back into glucose
- this increase blood glucose levels back to normal
Controlling blood glucose levels
- Glucose rises (eat food) –> insulin produced by the pancreas causes glucose to change to glycogen in the liver –> glucose falls –> normal blood glucose level
- Glucose falls (Exercise) –> Glucagon released and glycogen converted back to glucose –> glucose rises –> normal blood glucose levels
Urine samples
- Blood in urine may be a sign of different diseases in the kidneys, the urinary system or the bladder
- Sugar in urine may be a sign of diabetes
- Protein in urine maybe be a sign of a kidney disease & can be used to detect the early signs of kidney damage from long-standing diabetes
Type 1 diabetes
- Genetic - born with it
- Cannot produce insulin
- Usually begins in childhood
- Usually controlled by insulin injections
- Can be controlled by regulating diet - more so in type 2 diabetes
Type 2 diabetes
- Cannot respond to insulin
- Usually occurs later in life
- Usually controlled by regulating diet
- linked to obesity
What is lysis?
- cells swell & burst
- the disintegration of a cell by the rupture of its cell wall or membrane
What are your kidneys?
- a pair of reddish-brown organs - important in maintaining homeostasis
- They filter your blood and produce urine
What is urine?
a mixture of toxic urea, excess salts and excess water
What is the ‘journey’ of urine?
- Urine passes from the kidneys along the ureter to the bladder
- It is stored in the bladder before being released through the urethra
What produces urea?
the liver
What is the ureter?
the tube through which urine passes from the kidney to the bladder
What is the ring of muscle by the bladder?
it controls the opening and closing of the bladder
What is the renal artery?
brings blood containing urea and other substances in solution to the kidney