Exam I Study Flashcards
Define homeostasis.
Mammals tolerate changes in external environment by stabilizing their internal environment. All organ systems use membrane transport using as little energy as possible to maintain homeostasis.
What is compartmentalization?
Most cells don’t contact external environment
The body has 3 fluid compartments. What are they?
Intracellular fluid, extracellular fluid and plasma/interstitial fluid
What 2 types of membranes create compartments?
- Tissues that line cavities or separate two compartments (mucous membranes, pleural membrane)
- Phospholipid-protein boundary layers
What are the functions of cell membranes?
- Create a physical barrier to separate intracellular fluid from extracellular fluid
- Regulate exchange of materials between cell and the environment
- Communicate with the external environment
- Provide structural support to cell and tissues
What is diffusion?
Movement of molecules from high concentration to low concentration until equilibrium is reached. No energy is needed.
What is the rate of diffusion determined by?
Temperature, size, steepness of concentration gradient, distance
What are the two types of physiologic signals?
electrical signals and chemical signals
What are electrical signals?
Changes in the membrane potential of a cell (neurons)
What are chemical signals?
Secreted by cells into the ECF (responsible for most communication within the body)
What are neurotransmitters?
Chemicals secreted by neurons that diffuse across a small gap to the target cell and have a rapid effect
What are neuromodulators?
A messenger released from a neuron in the CNS or PNS - much slower than neurotransmitter
What are neurohormones?
Chemicals released by neurons into the blood for action at distant targets
What are cytokines?
Common Communication molecules
What do cytokines do?
May act as both local and long-distance signals and can control cell development, cell differentiation and the immune response
Where are receptors located?
Located inside the cell or on the cell membrane
What is signal amplification?
Turns on signal molecule into multiple second messenger molecules - used in endocrine system to minimize amount of circulating hormone needed to cause response
How can a signal pathway be terminated?
- Ligand can be degraded by enzymes
- Removal of the signal molecule form the extracellular fluid
- Endocytosis of the receptor-ligand complex
What is negative feedback?
The response counteracts the stimulus, shutting off the response loop
What is positive feedback?
The response reinforces the stimulus, sending the variable farther from the set point
What is tonic control?
Moderate activity can be varied up or down (vasodilation/vasconstriction)
What does the endocrine system do?
Maintain homeostatic environment throught he use of hormones (signaling molecules)
What are the three integrating centers?
- Hypothalamic stimulation (from CNS)
- Anterior pituitary stimulation (from hypothalamic trophic hormones)
- Endocrine gland stimulation (from anterior pituitary trophic hormones - except prolactin)
What do hormones do?
Allow cell-to-cell communication and are transported by blood. They activate a physiological response at low concentrations.
What affects the concentration of hormones in the blood?
- The rate of production
- The rate of delivery
- The rate of degradation and/or excretion
What is synergism?
A combined effect which is greater than the sum of individual effects
What is permissiveness?
A second hormone is needed in order to get the full effect
What is antagonism?
When two hormones oppose the effects of another
glucagon vs. insulin
What is hypersecretion?
Excess hormone (caused by tumors or exogenous treatment)
What is hyposecretion?
Deficient hormones (caused by decreased synthesis of materials or atrophy)
What are peptide hormones?
They are water soluble, have short-half life, are large (can’t fit through membrane) and have a second messenger mechanism of action
What is a cholesterol-derived (steroid) hormone?
Lipophilic and easily crosses membranes - such as cortisol
What is a receptor-inside cell?
Changes gene activity, hormones have slower response, and longer duration