Homeostasis + Osmoregulation Flashcards
What is Homeostasis?
Homeostasis is the maintenance of relatively constant internal conditions.
What three ‘types’ of mechanisms are there to maintain homeostasis?
Structural (Physical features that assist in tolerating changes), Physiological (Internal processes and mechanisms) and Behavioural (Behaviours or actions that keep organisms alive).
What is a tolerance limit?
A tolerance limit is the internal factors that need to be maintained for organisms to function correctly
What are some examples of tolerance limits?
Body temperature, water concentration, blood carbon dioxide concentration and blood glucose levels.
What is negative feedback?
Negative feedback occurs the initial response diminishes or reverses the original stimulus.
Explain the stimulus-response model.
The stimulus-response model is the pathway of nerve impulses. The stimulus is the variable internal or external factor. The receptors detect this stimulus. The transmission then relays the information to the effector. The effector starts a response after receiving the information. The response is the overall action that has occurred due to the initial stimulus, and the feedback is the response’s impact, whether positive or negative.
What is positive feedback?
Positive feedback is when the response reinforces the initial stimulus
What is the central nervous system? What does it do?
The central nervous system consists of the brain and spinal cord. Its role is to store, arrange and manage information.
What is the peripheral nervous system? What does it do?
The peripheral nervous system transmits information to and from the sensory receptors.
What is the difference between somatic and autonomic nerves?
Somatic nerves are voluntary responses, whereas autonomic nerves are involuntary.
What is the difference between sympathetic and parasympathetic?
The sympathetic nervous system activates the flight or fight response, and the parasympathetic nervous systems restores the body to a state of calm
What is a neuron? What does it do relating to homeostasis?
Neurons are responsible for sending and receiving neurotransmitters.
What are the three main components of a neuron?
Dendrites (receive impulses from receptors and transmit info to the cell body), A cell body (contains organelles), Axons (long extensions of the neuron, transmits information to other cells or effectors. The end of axons branch off into swellings where neurotransmitters are released from)
What is a sensory neuron?
A sensory neuron has a cell body joined by two long processes, the dendron and the axon.
What is an interneuron?
An interneuron only has short axons as they enable connectors between sensory and motor neurons.
What is a motor neuron?
A motor neuron has short dendrites and one long axon.
How do neurons transmit messages to specific destinations?
Through electrochemical impulses.
What is the synapse?
The small gap between neurons
What are some examples of neurotransmitters?
Acetylcholine, Norepinephrine, Dopamine, and Serotonin.
What are the five types of sensory receptors, and how do they differ?
Mechanoreceptor (the five senses), Photoreceptor (light), Thermorecptor (temperature changes), Chemoreceptor (changes in chemicals), and Nocirecptor (detects tissue damage and pain).
What is the tolerance limit for blood pH?
Blood pH is usually 7.4 but is maintained between 7.35 and 7.45.
What is the relationship between blood pH and carbon dioxide?
CO2 is transported in the bloodstream to the lungs and ultimately removed from the body through exhalation.
What is a hormone?
Hormones are chemicals produced by cells and carried by the blood to create effects in the rest of the body.
What produces hormones?
The endocrine glands
What are the three main classes of hormones?
Peptide and protein (short chains of amino acids (polypeptide) and proteins consisting of larger chains), amino acid-derived hormones (small molecules that are derived from amino acids tyrosine and tryptophan), lipid/steroid hormones (lipid-based hormones, derived from cholesterol)
What is the pituitary gland?
The pituitary gland is located at the brain’s base and controls all other endocrine glands. The pituitary gland produces oxytocin, antidiuretic, human growth hormone, follicle-stimulating, luteinising, and thyroid-stimulating hormone.
What is the thyroid gland?
The thyroid gland produces thyroxine which is responsible for stimulating metabolism and producing heat
How do the beta and alpha cells within the Islet of Langerhans differ?
When elevated blood levels are detected, insulin is released from beta cells from the Islet of Langerhans. When decreased blood glucose levels are detected, glucagon is released from the Islets of Langerhans alpha cells.
What does glucagon do?
Glucagon’s role is to prevent blood glucose levels from dropping too low. To do this, glucagon acts on the liver in several ways, stimulating the conversion of stored glycogen to glucose.
What does insulin do?
Insulin is a hormone our body makes to keep our blood glucose levels within the normal range. It is made by beta cells in the pancreas. Insulins’ main job is to move glucose from our bloodstream into the body’s cells to make energy.
What is diabetes?
Diabetes is a metabolic disorder where a person does not produce enough insulin, or their body does not respond appropriately to insulin.
What is it called when blood glucose decreases and increases?
Decreased blood glucose levels, known as hypoglycaemia, cause headaches, weakness, sleepiness, and dizziness. Increased blood glucose levels, known as hyperglycaemia, cause symptoms such as hunger, tiredness, thirst or blurred vision.
Explain type 1 diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disease where immune cells are activated to produce antibodies against the body’s insulin.
Explain type 2 diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes is a condition that develops over time and is mostly attributed to poor lifestyles and diet.
What does thyroxine do? What produces it?
Thyroxine is a hormone produced by the thyroid gland and is then secreted into the circulatory system. It acts on most cells in the body to regulate metabolism by increasing the basal metabolic rate