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Science for Medicine > Homeostasis > Flashcards

Homeostasis Flashcards

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1
Q

What is the general equation of life?

A

Nutrients + O2 = Waste (CO2) + Energy

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2
Q

What works together to support the equation of life?

A

Co-operating body systems.

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3
Q

What gives rise to homeostasis?

A

The threat of disruption to the balance of the equation of life.

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4
Q

What does homeostasis mean?

A

Home = similar/ Stasis = state

Similar condition

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5
Q

What is homeostasis?

A

Homeostasis is the regulation of an internal steady environment in the body in response to disruption.

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6
Q

What does a failure to maintain a constant internal balance cause?

A

Pathology.

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7
Q

What are common disruptions to the internal state?

A

Temperature
Diet
Exercise

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8
Q

What is the difference between external and internal variables in homeostasis?

A

External- activity (e.g. eating doughnut)

Internal- temp/pH, conc etc.

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9
Q

When is homeostasis less effective?

A

Extreme conditions.

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10
Q

What mechanisms are used to maintain homeostasis?

A

Negative feedback
Feed-forward control
Positive feedback

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11
Q

What is the most important mechanism of homeostatic control?

A

Negative feedback.

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12
Q

How does negative feedback work?

A

When a condition that is homeostatically regulated is sensed to have shifted from the normal range, a signal is generated that produces a response which corrects the original disturbance and brings the condition back to normal.

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13
Q

What is the homeostatic response proportional to?

A

The disturbance to condition caused.

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14
Q

What are the characteristics of negative feedback?

A

Oscillation around a set point

Restores the internal condition AFTER disturbance

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15
Q

What is feed-forward control?

A

Sophisticated form of negative-feedback control in which additional receptors recognise changes in the environment PRIOR to them causing a disruption and allow a response to be activated earlier. (E.g. going back for a coat in the cold after sensing temp).

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16
Q

What is positive feedback control?

A

Opposite of NFC. Whilst this tries to restore less disruption, positive feedback control triggers further disruption to the system.

17
Q

Where is positive feedback control usually seen?

A

Pathology- although seen in some physiological processes such as nerve transmission.

18
Q

How is the integration of distal body systems achieved in homeostasis?

A

Endocrine / nervous system.

19
Q

What homeostatic mechanisms of the endocrine/nervous system are active?

A

Neural/endocrine reflexes.

20
Q

Why is homeostatic maintenance of water important?

A

Water controls everything else in the body.

21
Q

What is water input regulated by?

A

Thirst mechanism.

22
Q

What is water output regulated by?

A

Excretion / urinary tract mechanism (kidney function).

23
Q

What is prioritised above water regulation?

A

Body temperature

24
Q

What 3 compartments is water split between?

A
  • Intracellular fluid

Extracellular fluid

  • Interstitial fluid
  • Plasma
25
Q

What is intracellular fluid?

A

Fluid within the cells.

26
Q

What does the extracellular fluid consist of?

A

Interstitial fluid

Plasma

27
Q

What is the interstitial fluid?

A

Fluid in-between cells.

28
Q

What is plasma?

A

Fluid component of blood.

29
Q

What are the barriers that must be crossed between compartments?

A

Plasma > Interstitial fluid
(Plasma membrane- plasma proteins filtered out)
Intersistial fluid > Intracellular fluid
(Cell membrane)

30
Q

How is water distributed across the fluid compartments?

A

1/3 extracellular, 2/3 intracellular.

31
Q

Why does H20 distribution vary with gender?

A

Females have more fat- fat is 10% water whereas water is 70% water.

32
Q

Why does H20 distribution vary with age?

A

Elderly have lower water concentration- again due to fat and muscle distribution.

33
Q

What does plasma do?

A

Freely exchanges nutrients with the ISF- they are homogeneous with the exception of plasma proteins being unable to cross the capillary wall.

34
Q

What is the dilution principle?

A

M=CV

35
Q

What must be sampled in the dilution principle?

A

Plasma- least barrier reduction; only compartments of which plasma is a component can be measured directly.

36
Q

What compartments can be measured using the Dilution Principle?

A

Plasma proteins- since these cannot cross the plasma membrane, dyes or radioactive tags are used.
Extracellular volume- freely crosses capillary walls but cannot cross cell membrane due to size.
Total body water- no barriers to water in the body.

Science for Medicine (19 decks)

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