body balance Flashcards
what is homeostasis
homeostasis is the body’s ability to maintain a stable internal condition despite changed to external environment.
What are some of the conditions in the body that need to be kept constant?
body temp
blood pH
glucose levels
How does the body maintain homeostasis?
through things like negative feedback loop
What is a negative feedback loop?
Negative feedback is a regulatory mechanism where the body responds to a stimulus by counteracting it, thus maintaining stability.
control center (brain)
receives signal from receptors, processes this info and initiates a response
Describe an example of negative feedback.
An example is the regulation of body temperature: when body temperature rises above normal, sweat glands are activated to produce sweat, cooling the body down.
stimulus
change that prompts a response
receptor
detects the stimulus and sends signals to the controls centre.
effector
carries out the response directed by the control centre
response
the action taken by the effector to counteract the stimulus.
Explain how blood glucose levels are regulated?
blood glucose levels are regulated by the pancreas through the hormones of insulin and glucagon.
What is an endocrine gland? What does it secrete?
Endocrine glands secrete hormones straight into the bloodstream.
secrete hormones.
What happens in diabetes?
In diabetes, the body’s ability to regulate blood glucose levels is impaired.
in type 1 diabetes the pancreas produces little or no insulin
type 2 diabetes cells become resistant to insulin or the pancreas produces insufficient insulin.
What is a positive feedback loop?
positive feedback loop aims to increase the effects of a stimulus (eg childbirth)
What is the role of the endocrine system?
to release hormones from endocrine glands into the bloodstream.
endocrine system regulates, controls and coordinates
- Growth and development
- Male and female development
- How your body uses energy
and many other body functions!
Name at least three areas that the endocrine system regulate
- growth
- metabolism
-metabolism
What is a hormone? How does it travel in the body?
Chemical messengers that are secreted from glands into the blood and affect cells in another part of the body. they travel through the bloodstream
How do hormones recognise which cells are their target cells?
Hormones only work on certain cells called target cells.
The target cells have special receptors that “recognise” the
hormones and allow them to influence that cell.
What is the role of the hypothalamus? Where do you find it?
secretes hormones that stimulate or suppress the release of hormones in the pituitary gland. it is located in the brain.
Why is the pituitary known as the master gland?
it controls the functions of many of the other endocrine glands
an example of endocrine disorder.
HYPOthyroidism
