C3.1 Integration of Body Systems Flashcards

You may prefer our related Brainscape-certified flashcards:
1
Q

Define system integration

A

Different systems in an organism need to effectively communicate and coordinate with each other to be able to perform an overall function.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
2
Q

How do emergent properties work?

A

They are created when the sum of all the parts creates features that do not exist within the individual components.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
3
Q

Examples of emergent properties

A
  1. Cells specialized/adapted to perform specific functions
  2. Tissues made from a group of cells of the same type to carry out a function
  3. Organs made from a group of tissues that work together to carry out a specific function of life
  4. Body systems made from groups of organs that interact with each other to perform an overall function of life
  5. An organism is a living individual made up of organ systems
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
4
Q

What are the features of hormonal signaling?

A
  • Chemical signaling, secreted by endocrine glands
  • In the bloodstream
  • Widespread: to all parts of the body that are supplied with blood, but only certain cells respond
  • Effect target cells
  • Type of response: growth, development, reproduction, metabolic rate and heat generation
  • Slow
  • Long, until the hormone is broken down
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
5
Q

What are the features of nervous signalling?

A
  • Electrical, by passage of cations across membranes
  • Happens in neurons
  • Highly focused: one specific neuron or group of effector cells
  • Effects muscles (contraction)
  • Fast
  • Short unless nerve impulses are sent repeatedly
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
6
Q

What is the role of the blood system in transporting materials between organisms?

A
  1. RBC:
    - Transport O2 from lungs to all tissues
    - Transport CO2 back to the lungs
  2. Blood plasma:
    - Transport water to all tissues
    - Transport nutrients and inorganic ions to all cells
    - Transport metabolic waste products from liver to kidneys
    - Transport hormones from endocrine glands to target organs
    - Distribution of heat
    - Transports dissolved proteins that regulate osmotic concentration and antibodies
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
7
Q

What is the role of the brain?

A

It is the central information integration organ.
1. The brain receives impulses from sensory receptors
2. The information is then processed, stored and instructions are sent out to all parts of the body to coordinate life processes.
3. Signals are sent through motor neurons to effector organs (muscles or glands) which execute responses.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
8
Q

What is the role of the frontal lobe?

A

motor control, problem solving, speech production.

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
9
Q

What is the role of the temporal lobe?

A

auditory processing, language comprehension, memory/ info retrieval

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
10
Q

What is the role of the brainstem?

A

involuntary responses

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
11
Q

What is the role of the parietal lobe?

A

touch perception, body orientation and sensory discrimination

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
12
Q

What is the role of the occipital lobe?

A

sight, visual reception and interpretation

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
13
Q

What is the role of the cerebellum?

A
  • Coordinates skeletal muscle contraction
  • Controls balance and help maintain posture
  • Helps in activities requiring motor memory
How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
14
Q

What is the role of the spinal cord?

A

It is an integrating center for unconscious processes.
– carries nerve impulses between brain and rest of body
– controls reflexes without input from the brain

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
15
Q

What is the role of sensory neurons?

A

Convey messages from receptor cells to central nervous system

How well did you know this?
1
Not at all
2
3
4
5
Perfectly
16
Q

What are the tissues in the spinal cord?

A

White matter: transmits signals from sensory receptors to brain and vice versa.

Grey matter: where info integration happens

17
Q

What happens in input to cerebral hemispheres?

A

The left cerebral hemisphere receives sensory input from sensory receptors in the right side of the body and the right eye and vice versa for the right cerebral hemisphere.

18
Q

What happens in output of cerebral hemisphere?

A

The primary motor cortex sends signals via motor neurons to each striated muscle in the body for locomotion and controlling posture. The dendrites in the motor neurons receive signals from various relay neurons and send them to the cell body. When a nerve impulse reaches the axon’s end, it triggers muscle contraction and gland secretion.

19
Q

What are nerves?

A

Bundles of nerve fibres surrounded by a protective sheath of both sensory and motor neurons.

20
Q

Outline the reflex arc

A
  1. Receptor cells or nerve endings of some sensory neurons detect a stimulus
  2. Sensory neurons receive signals coming from the receptor cells. These neurons have long axons that carry nerve impulses from the receptor to the spinal cord or brain.
  3. Interneurons in the gray matter of the CNS receives, processes the signals and make decisions about appropriate responses
  4. Motor neurons receive signals from interneurons via synapses
  5. If a threshold potential is achieved in a motor neuron, an impulse is sent to the effector (skeletal muscles) which will carry out a response. There are two types of responses: muscle contraction and gland secretion
21
Q

What is the circadian rhythm?

A

A 24 hour cycle that continues even if a person is placed experimentally continuous light or darkness

22
Q

What is melatonin?

A
  • Hormone secreted by pineal gland that controls circadian rhythms
  • Its release is inhibited due to exposure of light
23
Q

What is the sleep-wake cycle?

A
  • Secretion increases in the evening, and high levels of melatonin causes drowsiness, promoting sleep.

– Melatonin decreases at dawn, encouraging wakefulness.

– High levels of melatonin contributes to nighttime drops in body temperature

– High levels of melatonin decrease urine production at night.

24
Q

What is the knock-on effect?

A

The release of melatonin has also a knock-on effect on several other metabolic or homeostatic functions in the body by stimulating body temperature, hunger and acetylcholine production.

25
Q

How does epinephrine work?

A

When epinephrine reaches tissues where it has an effect, it binds to adrenergic receptors in the plasma membrane of target cells, triggering a response that usually prepares the body for vigorous physical activity

26
Q

What are the effects of epinephrine?

A
  • Hydrolysis of glycogen to glucose to be used in respiration
  • Increased diameter of bronchi and bronchioles –> wider airway
  • Ventilation rate and tidal volume increase
  • Sinoatrial node increases heart rate
  • Increase blood flow to muscles and lungs (vasodilation)
  • Decrease blood flow to gut and kidneys (vasoconstriction)
27
Q

What is the role of the hypothalamus?

A

The hypothalamus controls the release of hormones into the blood, with specialized areas called nuclei acting as sensors for blood temperature, blood glucose concentration, osmolarity and concentration of various hormones.

28
Q

What are the parts of the pituitary gland that releases hormones?

A
  • Anterior lobe: human growth hormone (HGH), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH), prolactin
  • Posterior lobe: antidiuretic hormone (ADH) and oxytocin
29
Q

How does osmoregulation work?

A

Osmoreceptors in the hypothalamus constantly monitor the solute concentration of the blood, influencing the amount of ADH being produced by neurosecretory cells in the hypothalamus. The axons of the neurosecretory cells transport the ADH to the pituitary gland, where it is secreted into blood capillaries.

30
Q

How is puberty initiated?

A

The hypothalamus initiates puberty by secreting GnRH, a neurohormone that stimulates the pituitary gland to secrete LH and FSH, which in turn stimulate the secretion of testosterone in males and estrogen and progesterone in females, leading to the changes associated with puberty.

31
Q

What connects the SA node to the medulla oblongata and their functions?

A
  1. Signals from the sympathetic cardiac nerve causes the pacemaker to increase the heart rate
  2. Signals from the vagus nerve causes the pacemaker to decrease the heart rate
32
Q

How does heart rate feedback control work? (chemoreceptors)

A

Chemoreceptors have acid-sensing ion channels that monitor blood oxygen concentration and pH through negative feedbacking. Low oxygen concentration and low pH cause the heart rate to speed up, increasing blood flow to the tissues so more oxygen is delivered and more carbon dioxide is removed, and vice versa.

33
Q

How does heart rate feedback control work? (baroreceptors)

A

Baroreceptors monitor and regulate blood pressure through negative feedbacking. When blood pressure is low, heart rate is increased to increase blood pressure and vice versa.

34
Q

Outline feedback control for ventilation rate

A
  • If carbon dioxide in the blood rises too high, pH is decreased and can cause acidosis. The normal range for blood pH is 7.35 to 7.45. Levels below 6.8 can be life-threatening.
  • When chemoreceptors detect a decrease in blood pH, they send out signals to the respiratory centres so that breathing becomes deeper and more frequent, increasing the ventilation rate. This reduces the carbon dioxide concentration in the alveoli, increasing the blood pH.
35
Q

Backup mechanism for ventilation rate feedback control

A

Backup mechanism for oxygen supply: when chemoreceptors in carotid arteries detect hypoxia (a lack of oxygen), signals are sent to respiratory centres in the medulla oblongata to increase the ventilation rate. These signals override the signals from chemoreceptors monitoring blood pH and carbon dioxide concentration, helping to prevent the brain from becoming starved of oxygen.

36
Q

Explain the process of peristalsis

A
  • As the bolus of food passes along the gut and the small intestine via peristalsis, secretions (from gland cells in the stomach and from the pancreas) containing enzymes are added into the small intestine, hydrolyzing insoluble or large molecules into small and soluble molecules that can pass through the epithelium cells
  • The contraction of circular and longitudinal muscles in the wall of the small intestine exerts continuous moderate force to move the bolus of food along the digestive tract via peristaltic waves.
  • The contraction of circular muscles behind the food constricts the gut, so food is not pushed back towards the mouth. Contraction of longitudinal muscle where the food is located moves it along the gut.
37
Q

What is the VOLUNTARY phase of digestion?

A
  • Controlled by CNS

– Swallowing when food is passed from the mouth cavity to the pharynx

– Egestion of feces, when the anus relaxes and widens while the wall of the rectum contracts

38
Q

What is the INVOLUNTARY phase of digestion?

A
  • Coordinated by the enteric nervous system

– When food passes from the pharynx to the stomach via the esophagus through peristalsis