Homeostasis Flashcards
What is homeostasis?
The maintenance of a constant internal environment
What is the optimum point?
The level at which the system works best.
What is a receptor?
Detects deviations from the optimum point and informs the coordinator.
What is the coordinator?
Co-ordinates information from receptors and sends instructions to the effector.
What is the effector?
Brings about changes needed to return to the optimum point.
What is a feedback mechanism?
Informs the receptor of changes brought about by the effectors.
What is negative feedback?
The corrective measures are turned off as the body has reached the optimum point again.
What is positive feedback?
Thee feedback causes the corrective measures to remain turned on, causing the system to deviate further from the optimum.
How does the second messenger model work?
- Adrenaline binds to a receptor in the membrane of a liver cell.
- Activates the enzyme adenyl cyclase by changing the shape of the receptor inside the cell.
- Adenyl cyclase converts ATP to cyclic AMP (cAMP)
- Binds to protein kinase and activates it.
- Protein kinase converts glycogen into glucose which leaves the liver cell by facilitated diffusion.
What does the pancreas produce?
Digestive enzymes and the hormones involved in glucose regulation insulin and glucagon.
What are the islets of Langerhans?
Groups of cells in the pancreas which produce hormones, surrounded by cells which produce digestive enzymes.
What are the cells which make up the liver called?
Hepatocytes
What is glycogenolysis?
The conversion of glycogen to gucose
What is the name for the conversion of glycogen to glucose?
Glycogenolysis
What is gluconeagenesis?
The production of glucose.