Homeostasis Flashcards
Define Homeostasis
Using control systems to maintain a stable internal environment
Why is it vital to keep your internal environment stable?
For cells to function normally and to stop them being damaged
What happens when the body temperature is too high?
- Enzymes denature
- Vibrate too much, breaks the H bonds that hold the 3D shape
- Metabolic reaction are less efficient
What happens when the body temperature is too low?
- Enzyme activity is reduced
- Slows down rate of metabolic reaction
What is the optimum temperature for the highest rate of enzyme activity?
37oC
What happens when the blood pH is too high or too low?
- Enzymes denature
- H bonds holding 3D shape are broken
- Shape of active site changes and no longer work as catalyst
- Metabolic reactions are less efficient
What is the optimum pH for the highest rate of enzyme activity?
pH 7
What happens when the blood glucose concentration is too high?
- Water potential of blood is reduced
- Water leaves cell into blood via osmosis
- Cells shrivel up and die
What happens when the blood glucose concentration is too low?
- Cells unable to carry out normal activities
- Not enough glucose for respiration to provide energy
What does the homeostatic system involve?
- Recepors
- Communication system
- Effector
What does the receptor do?
Detect when levels are too high or too low
Which mechanism restores the level back to normal?
Negative feedback mechanism
Negative feeback works…
W/in certain limits- change too big, effector may not be able to counteract it
Homeostasis involves ____ negative feedback mechanism
Multiple
What does having multiple negative feedback mechanism mean?
- Can actively inc or dec level so it returns to normal
- More control
What happens when you only have one negative feedback mechanism?
- Can only actively change level in 1 direction
- Slower response
- Less control
Positive feedback ___ change from normal level
Amplify
How does effectors respond in positive feedback mechanisms?
Further increase level away from normal level
When is positive feedback useful?
- Rapidy activate something eg. Blood clot
- Homeostatic system breaks down eg. Hypothermia
Is positive feedback involved in homeostasis? Why?
- No
- Doesn’t keep internal env stable
The concentration of glucose in the blood is usually around…
90 mg per 100cm3
When does glucose conc increase?
After eating food containing carbs
When does glucose conc fall?
After exercise, glucose used for respiration to release energy
Which 2 hormones control blood glucose conc?
- Insulin
- Glucagon
Where are insulin and glucagon secreted from?
- Cluster of cells in pancreas called Islets of Langerhans
- Beta cells secrete insulin
- Alpha cells secrete glucagon
Outline how insulin lowers blood glucose conc when it’s too high
- Binds to receptor on cell membrane of liver cells and muscle cell, inc permeability of muscle cell membrane to glucose, cells take up more glucose- involves inc no. channel proteins
- Activates enzymes that convert glucose to glycogen, cells able to store glycogen as energy source (glycogenesis)
- Inc rate of respiration of glucose
Outline how glucagon inc blood glucose conc when it’s too low
- Binds to receptors on cell membrane of liver cells
- Activates enzymes in liver cells that break down glycogen to glucose (glycogenolysis)
- Activates enzymes involved in formation of glucose from glycerol + aa (non-carbs = gluconeogenesis)
- Dec rate of respiration of glucose
Outline what happens when the blood glucose conc falls
- Pancrease detects too low
- A- secrete glucagon, b- stop screting insulin
- Glucagon binds to liver cell
- Glycogenolysis activated
- Gluconeogenesis activated
- Cells respire less glucose
- Cells release glucose to blood