homeostasis Flashcards
what is homeostasis?
it is the maintenance of a constant internal enviornment within a living organism
what is the importance of homeostasis?
A stable internal environment allows an organism to be
independent of changes in the external environment.
why do enzymes require an optimum body temperature?
if the temperature is below the optimum, enzymes becomes inactivated. if it is exceeds the optimum, it becomes denatured.
why must tissue fliud be kept at constant pH and water potential?
if there are drastic changes in the pH, the enzyme activities and cellular reactions will be affected, harming the body. The composition of tissue fluid has to be
maintained as body cells will either shrink or burst in solutions with water potentials different from that in the cytoplasm.
sequence in a homeostasis process?
stimulus> receptor> integrator> effector> response
what is negative feedback?
self-regulatory mechanism which feedbacks to the receptor when the set-point/norm is reached. The new information received by the recpetor is transferred to the control center which prevents further corrective action by the effector. System is then fully restored to its original state
which systems are involved in the coodination of a homeostatic response?
endocrine and nervous system
what is the endocrine gland?
it is a specific type of gland which produces hormones
what is a gland?
an organ which produces a secretion
what is the difference between exocrine and endocrine glands?
- exocrine produces secretions which travel through ducts to where it is needed (enzymes, proteins..)
- endocrine produces secretions directly into the bloodstream.
what is a hormone?
it is a specialised signal molecule that is secreted by endocrine glands. they are transported to target organs via bloodstream and bind to cells with receptors. it is destroyed in the liver and excreted by kidneys
what types of hormones are there?
peptide hormone (made up of protein) and steroid hormone (made up of lipids)
what role do hormones play in homeostasis?
response to a stimuli may be specific as only relevant effectors should be stimulated. there are specific receptors on target cells that have binding sites which are complementary to that of the hormone. hence, the specific action of a hormone ensures that only target cells are activated.
what does insulin do?
- increases permability of cell surface membrane of most body cells to glucose, increases uptake of glucose from bloodstream
- increase oxidation of glucose into carbon dioxide and water during cellular respiration
- increases synthesis of glycogen
- increases synthesis of lipids from glucose in liver
- increase synthesis of proteins from amino acids
what happens when blood glucose concentration rises above the normal level?
- stimulus: blood glucose concentration rises above the norm
- Islets of Langerhans in pancreas is stimulated and secretes more insulin into the bloodstream to the liver and muscle cells
- insulin increases the permability of cells to glucose so liver and muscles take in more glucose. Liver converts more glucose into glycogen.
- concentration of blood glucose decreases and insulin production falls
- concentration of blood glucose returns to normal