Module 5 Flashcards
The Need for Communication Systems
Keeping Cells Active • All organisms needs to maintain a limited set of conditions • Need to respond to changes in external and internal environments • This is because cellular activities rely on enzymes which require a specific set of conditions to work effectively • Organs need to coordinate their activity to maintain optimal internal conditions that support survival
2 Cell Signalling
When cells communicate by signalling, one cell releases a chemical • This chemical is detected by another cell • The second cell then responds to this signal. can be neuronal or hormondal
Neuronal System of cell signalling
• Network of neurons • Quick signals • Rapid responses
Hormonal System of cell signalling
• Uses blood to transport signals • Endocrine organs secrete hormones directly into blood • Carried all over the body • Only recognized by specific target cells • Enables long-term responses to be coordinated • Specific target cells have receptors that have a shape that is complementary to the shape of the hormone
Homeostasis
is the regulation of internal environments independently of external environments These include: • Temperature • Blood glucose concentration • Blood salt concentration • Water content • Blood pressure • Blood carbon dioxide partial pressure (blood pH)
Negative Feedback
• Reversal of a change in the environment to return to the optimum position • Receptor detects the change • Communication systems inform the effectors • The effector reacts to reverse the change • Eg: maintaining blood pressure
Positive Feedback
• Response causes change to increase • Destabilizes the system • Usually more harmful • Does not lead to homeostasis • Can be useful in certain situation • Eg: childbirth - uterine contractions • Pathway:
○ A stimulus
is any change in the environment that causes a response
○ A response
is a change in behavior or physiology as a result of a change in the environment
External Environment
○ Environment may change slowly – E.g. — Global Warming ○ It may change quickly ○ The changes must be monitored and the organism must respond to them
Internal Environments
Some cells are not exposed to the external environment, but are protected by epithelial tissues ○ As cells undergo metabolic reactions there is a change in the environment ○ Activities of the cells alter their own environments in this way
Endotherms
• Can maintain body temperature within strict limits • Independent of external temperatures • Internal sources of heat used to maintain body temperatures • Can increase respiration rates to generate heat
advantages of being an endotherm
○ Constant body temperature regardless of external environment ○ Activity possible in cooler temperatures ○ Able to inhabit cooler parts of the world
disadvantages of being an endotherm
• There are also disadvantages: ○ Significant part of energy intake used to maintain body temperature ○ Moor food required ○ Less energy from food can be used for growth
Physiological adaptations of endotherms
: ○ Sweat glands in skin ○ Hairs on skin ○ Capillaries near skin surface
endotherms in Hot environment
Sweat glands Secrete sweat - water has high specific heat capacity, therefore heat escapes body and converted into evaporation of sweat
Blood capillaries under surface of skinCapillaries dilate to increase surface area - heat from blood transferred out of the body and through the skin more efficiently
Erector muscles controlling hairs on skin
Relax so hair is flat against skin - air can freely circulate over the skin, cooling it down
endotherms in Cold environment
Sweat glands Sweat glands inactive
Blood capillaries under surface of skinCapillaries close to reduce heat lost through the skin
Erector muscles controlling hairs on skin Contract so hair stands on end - this serves to trap air over the skin which acts as a layer of insulation
Ectotherms
• Organism that relies on an external source of heat to regulate its body temperature
ectotherm advantages:
○ Less food used in respiration ○ Less food required ○ Greater proportion of energy derived from food can be used for growth
ectotherm disadvantages:
○ Less active in cooler temperatures ○ May not be capable of activity during cold winters
Physiological adaptations of ectotherms
○ Do not use internal energy source to maintain body temperature ○ When they are active, increased respiration in muscles will generate some heat ○ Temperature regulation relies on increasing the exchange of heat with their environment – When cold, they will change behavior to increase absorption of heat fro its environment – When hot it will increase heat loss to the environment ○ Warm-up by lying on a hot surface
Excretion =
the removal of metabolic waste products from the body
Metabolic waste =
Unneeded byproducts produced as a result of normal metabolism. These need to be removed from the body as they can become toxic in large quantities.
Carbon Dioxide as a metabolic waste compound
• Excess carbon dioxide is toxic • High levels of carbon dioxide have many effects: ○ Reduce the oxygen carrying capacity of the red blood cells ○ Combines with haemoglobin to form carbaminohaemaglobin, which has a lower affinity for oxygen ○ Dissolve the blood plasma, causing respiratory acidosis
Nitrogenous Compounds as a metabolic waste compound
• The body is unable to store amino acids or proteins • However, it is wasteful to excrete amino acids • Instead, they are transported to the liver and deaminated • The removed amino groups initially forms the very toxic ammonia • This is then converted to the less toxic urea, which is transported to the kidneys for excretion • The remaining keto acid can be directly respired, or converted to a carbohydrate or fat for storage
Oxygenated Blood in the liver
Oxygenated Blood ○ Travels from the aorta ○ Hepatic artery
Deoxygenated Blood in the liver
Travels from the digestive system ○ Hepatic portal vein ○ Rich in products of digestion
how blood exits the liver
blood exits via the hepatic vein
• Sinusoids
Oxygenated and deoxygenated blood mix ○ Pass into special vessels called sinusoids ○ Join together to form the hepatic vein ○ Blood flowing along the sinusoids come into very close contact with the liver cells
Liver Cells
• Called hepatocytes • Cuboidal shape • Microvilli • Many metabolic functions
Kupffer Cells
Specialised macrophages • Move in sinusoids • Break down and recycle old red blood cells • Haemoglobin is broken down into bilirubin ○ This is the brown pigment in faeces
Deamination
• Amino acids broken down into keto acids and ammonia • Ammonia is highly toxic
Ornithine Cycle
• Ammonia must be converted into a less toxic form • Ammonia is combined with carbon dioxide to produce urea • Urea is less soluble and less toxic • Urea is filtered out of the blood in the kidneys and concentrated in the urine
detoxification.
The process in which the liver metabolises toxic substances to render them harmless is called
• Bowman’s Capsule
○ Ultrafiltration unit ○ Filters blood ○ Separates large particles from small particles
• Proximal Convoluted Tubule (PCT)
○ Involved in selective reabsorption ○ Re-absorbs valuable substances, such as glucose ○ In the PCT fluid composition is altered by reabsorption of all sugars, most salts and water ○ 85% of water is reabsorbed here
Loop of Henle
○ Creates low water potential in the medulla ○ Allows water to be reabsorbed
Distal Convoluted Tubule (DCT)
○ Involved in osmoregulation ○ Varies the amount of water reabsorbed into the blood ○ In the descending limb the water potential is decreased – Salts added – Water removed
• Glomerulus
○ Site of filtration ○ Tight, knot-like, high pressure capillary bed
Afferent arteriole
○ Brings blood from the renal artery
Efferent arteriole
○ Narrow vessel that restricts blood flow ○ Raises blood pressure
Peri-tubular capillaries
○ Low pressure capillary bed ○ Runs around the convoluted tubules ○ Absorbs fluid from them
Vasa Recta
○ Un-branched capillaries ○ Similar in shape to the Loop of Henle ○ Descending limb carries blood deep into the medulla ○ Ascending limb brings blood back to the cortex
Venule
○ Carry blood to the renal vein ○ Blood carried to the heart
• Ascending Limb
○ In the ascending limb water potential is increased ○ Salts are removed by active transport
• Collecting Duct
In the collecting duct water potential is decreased again – Water is removed
Ultrafiltration
is the process by which substances in the blood enter the Bowman’s capsule from the glomerulus:
how does the structure of the afferent and efferent arterioles ensure blood remains under high pressure
Blood flows into glomerulus from the afferent arteriole • This is wider than the efferent arteriole • Difference in diameter ensures the blood remains under high pressure
The barrier between the Bowman’s capsule and the capillary has three layers,,,,
○ Endothelium of capillary – Narrow gaps between cells – Blood plasma and dissolved substances can pass through ○ Basement membrane – Fine mesh of collagen fibres and glycoproteins – Acts as a filter to prevent the passage of molecules with a RMM of over 69,000 – Most proteins are held in the capillaries of the glomerulus ○ Epithelial cells of the Bowman’s capsule – Podocytes – Specialized shape Finger like projections called major processes Ensure gaps between cells Fluid from blood can pass into the lumen of the Bowman’s capsule • High pressure forces some water and solutes through the basement membrane and into the Bowman’s capsule • This liquid is now known as the ‘glomerular filtrate’
What is left in the capillary? after ultrafiltration?
• Proteins • Blood cells • Molecules bigger than 69,000 RMM will remain in the blood
Selective reabsorption
As fluid moves along the nephron, substances are removed • Sodium-Potassium pumps move sodium ions from the cells lining the PCT into the tissue fluid • This reduced the concentration of sodium ions in the cytoplasm
• Sodium ions are transported into the cell, along with glucose or amino acids, by facilitated diffusion • As the glucose and amino acid concentrations rise indies the cell, these substances diffuse out of the opposite side of the cell into the tissue fluid • Process may be enhanced by the active removal of glucose and amino acids • Tissue fluids substances diffuse into the blood and are carried away • Reabsorption of salts, glucose and amino acids reduced the water potential in cells and increases it in the tubule fluid • Water will enter cells • Larger proteins can be absorbed by endocytosis
Adaptions of the PCT
• Microvilli increase surface area • Membrane contains co-transporter proteins that transport glucose and amino acids with sodium ions in facilitated diffusion • Many mitochondria
Reabsorption of Water in The Loop of Henle
• Salts can be transferred from the descending limb to the ascending limb • Increases concentration of salts in the tubule fluid • Salts diffuse out into the surrounding medulla tissue • Medulla tissue has a very low water potential • Amount of water reabsorbed controls water potential of blood
Process of water reabsorption
• As the fluid moves down, the water potential falls ○ Water is lost to surrounding tissue fluid ○ Sodium and chloride ions diffuse into the tubule • As the fluid moves up the ascending limb, the water potential rises ○ At the base, sodium and chloride ions diffuse out ○ Sodium and chloride ions are actively transported out ○ Wall of the ascending limb is impermeable to water ○ Fluid loses salt, but not water, when moving up the ascending limb
Hairpin counter current multiplier
Close arrangement of the ascending and descending limb • Increases the efficiency of salt transfer from the ascending to descending limb • Salt concentrations build up in the surrounding tissue • Movement of salts into the medulla creates a low water potential • Removal of ions from the ascending limb means at the top, urine is dilute • Water is then reabsorbed, according to the needs of the body
The Collecting Duct
Fluid flowing in contains lots of water • Carries fluid back down the collecting duct to the pelvis
The Control of Blood’s Water Potential
• Drop in Water in the Blood
Brain releases antidiuretic hormone (ADH) • ADH travels from the loop of Henle
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• Cell have membrane bound receptors for ADH • ADH binds to receptors • Chain of enzyme controlled reactions occurs inside the cell • Aquaporins sent in vesicles to the cell surface membrane • Aquaporins inserted into cell surface membrane • Walls of collecting duct and DCT more permeable to water • More water moves into the medulla by osmosis • Water potential of the blood rises back to the set level • Brain stops releasing ADH
Causes of kidney failure
• Diabetes mellitus • Heart disease • Hypertension • Infection
Assessing kidney function/failure:
Estimate glomerular filtrate rate (GFR) • Achieved by measuring concentration of substances in urine • Presence of proteins indicates failure of the filtration of blood as they are normally too large to enter the Bowman’s capsule
Treatment 1: Renal Transplants
• Old kidneys usually left in place • Donor can be live or deceased • Kidney surgically attached to blood supply and bladder • Patient must take immunosuppressant drugs to prevent rejection
Treatment 2: Dialysis
• Waste removed from blood by passing it over a dialysis membrane • Partially permeable membrane allows the exchange of substances between blood and dialysis fluid • Any excess substances diffuse out of the blood and into the dialysis fluid
Treatment 3: Haemodialysis
• Blood from an artery is passed into a machine and dialyzed • Heparin added to avoid clotting • Performed at a clinic • Three times a week
Treatment 4: Peritoneal Dialysis
Uses filter in the abdominal membrane • Permanent tube implanted in the abdomen • Dialysis solution fills space between organs and membrane • Solution drained after several hours • Patient able to walk around • Can be carried out at home
Gas Chromatography and Mass Spectrometry
Sample vaporized in the presence of a gaseous solvent • Passed down a long tube lined by an absorption agent • Each substance dissolved differently in the gas • Remains there for a unique and specific length of time • Eventually substance moves out of the gas and is absorbed into the lining • This is then analysed to create a chromatogram • Chromatograms of standard drugs and urine samples are taken, allowing unidentified substances to be easily identified
Pregnancy test
• Once implanted, human embryos secrete a hormone called hCG • This is a small glycoprotein • Pregnancy tests contain monoclonal antibodies which bind to the hCG • Any hCG in the urine will attach to antibodies tagged with a blue bead • The hCG-antibody complex then moves up to the surface of the strip where it sticks to a band of immobilised antibodies • All the hCG bound antibodies are held in one place, forming a blue line • There is always a control blue line to use as a comparison • 2 blue lines indicate pregnancy
Testing for anabolic steroids
• Anabolic steroids increase protein synthesis • Results in build-up of cell tissue • Can give an advantage in sports, but have dangerous side effects • Anabolic steroids have a half-life of 16 hours • Remain in the blood for many days • Small molecules • Can enter the nephron easily
Sensory receptors
are specialised tissues in the body that detect changes in the environment. They work by converting energy — acting as transducers — from one form into electrical energy, which relays a signal to another part of the body.
Pacinian corpuscles
• Pressure sensor in skin • Consists of concentric rings surrounding a nerve ending • Pressure causes the rings to apply pressure on the sensory nerve fibre • Nerve fibre detects change in pressure - not constantly applied pressure
Stimulus Sensory receptor Energy change Ultimate response
Stimulus Sensory receptor Energy change Ultimate response
Change in light intensity
Rods and cones in retina of eye
Light to electrical Increased light intensity = iris constriction
Stimulus Sensory receptor Energy change Ultimate response
Change in temperature
Change in temperature Heat receptors in skin and hypothalamus
Thermal to electrical Capillaries change diameter, erector muscles contract/relax, etc
Stimulus Sensory receptor Energy change Ultimate response
Chemicals in food
Chemicals in food Chemical receptors on tongue
Chemical to electrical Pleasure centres in brain activated
Stimulus Sensory receptor Energy change Ultimate response
Change in sound
Change in sound Vibration receptors in ear cochlea
Kinetic (sound wave) to electrical
Sound heard
Sensory neurons
• Carry AP from sensory receptor to CNS • Long dendron • Short axon
Relay neurons
• Connect sensory and motor neurons • Many short dendrites • Short axon
Motor neurons
- Carry AP from CNS to effectors (muscles, glands)
* Cell body is within CNS • Long axon
Myelinated and non-myelinated neurones
• 1/3 of neurons are myelinated • Schwann cells create the myelin sheath ○ Several layers of membrane ○ Thin cytoplasm • Gaps in the sheath are called the nodes of Ranvier • Peripheral neurons in the CNS are non-myelinated ○ Still associated with Schwann cells ○ Several neurons wrapped in one loose Schwann cell ○ Action potential moves along in a wave
Advantages of Myelination
• Myelinated neurons can transmit action potential more quickly than non-myelinated neurons ○ 100-120 m/s • Non-myelinated neurons tend to be slower ○ 2-20 m/s • Myelinated neurons carry signals from sensory receptors, to the CNS and from CNS to effectors • Carry signals over long distances • Enables rapid response to a stimulus by saltatory conduction
Generation of nerve impulses
• At rest neurones have higher concentration of sodium outside the cell ○ Steep concentration gradient across cell membrane ○ Cell charge is -60mV compared to extracellular environment • Sodium can move into the cell by gated channels ○ Causing cell to depolarise — become electrically charged • Gated channels stimulated to open by action of synapse • A few channels open — a few sodium ions move into the cell • The membrane depolarises ○ Becomes less negatively charged compared to the extracellular environment • If the threshold potential is reached (enough sodium ions enter the cell to surpass threshold), this initiates a positive feedback loop ○ Threshold is -50mV • More sodium channels open • Cell becomes more depolarised• Action potential has been established ○ Charge is now +40mV
Transmission of nerve impulses along a neuron
• Once the electrical impulse has been established, a local current exists in the cytoplasm of the neuron • This local depolarisation triggers neighbouring voltage-gated channels to open • Action potential travels in one direction along the cell
Refractory period
• Almost immediately after the cell becomes depolarised, it begins to repolarise • When sodium channels open, potassium ion channels open as well • Potassium diffuses down the concentration gradient out of the cell • This outflux of positively charged ions makes the cell’s charge become more negative • Eventually the potential difference (difference in charge across the cell membrane) overshoots ○ This is called hyperpolarisation • The original, resting potential (-60mV) is restored • Regions of the neuron that are in the refractory period cannot become re-charged • This ensures the action potential moves in a single direction
synapse
A synapse is a junction between two neurons. The space between the neurons is called the synaptic cleft and is about 20nm wide. An action potential travels from one neuron to the next via the synapse via substances called neurotransmitters such as acetylcholine (ACh).
Cholinergic Synapse
• Presynaptic action potential causes release of a transmitter substance ○ Presynaptic = the first neuron with the action potential ○ Postsynaptic = the neuron receiving the action potential ○ Diffuses across the gap ○ Generates a new action potential in postsynaptic neuron • Synapses that use acetylcholine as the neurotransmitter are called cholinergic substances
Synaptic Knob •
Region at the end of the axon which is slightly bulged and stores neurotransmitter • Contains many mitochondria ○ Active process ○ Lots of ATP required • Large amount of SER • Vesicles of acetylcholine ○ Transmitter substance ○ Chemical ○ Diffuses across the synaptic cleft • Voltage gated calcium ion channels in the membrane
Postsynaptic Membrane
Contains specialized sodium channels that can respond to the transmitter substance ○ 5 polypeptide molecules ○ 2 have a receptor that is specific to acetylcholine • When acetylcholine binds, the sodium channels will open
Transmission Across the Synapse
• Action potential arrives at synaptic knob • Voltage-gated ion channels open • Calcium ions diffuse into the synaptic knob • Calcium ions cause the synaptic vesicles to move to and fuse with the presynaptic membrane • Acetylcholine released by exocytosis • Acetylcholine diffuses across cleft • Acetylcholine binds to the receptor sites on the sodium ion channels in the postsynaptic membrane • Sodium channels open • Sodium ions diffuse across post synaptic membrane into postsynaptic neurone • Excitatory postsynaptic potential (EPSP) is created • EPSPs can combine, reaching the threshold potential • New action potential created in the postsynaptic neurone
Acetylcholine esterase
• Enzyme in the synaptic cleft • Hydrolyses acetylcholine to ethanoic acid and choline • Stops transmission of signals • Ethanoic acid and choline are recycled • Re-enter synaptic knob by diffusion • Recombined to acetylcholine using ATP from respiration in the mitochondria • Stored in synaptic vessels for future use
Action Potentials and Cell Signalling
• All or nothing response • Does not vary in size or intensity • Process are the same in all neurons and cholinergic synapses
Role of Synapses
• Several presynaptic neurons converge to one postsynaptic neuron ○ Allows signals from different part of nervous system to create the same response ○ Useful when different stimuli are warning us of danger
One presynaptic nerve may diverge to many postsynaptic neurons
Allow one signal to travel to several parts of the nervous system • Useful in the reflex arcEnsure signals are transmitted in the right direction • Only presynaptic knob contains vesicles of acetylcholine
Filter out low-level signals • Low-level stimuli may create action potentials • These are unlikely to pass across a synapse to the next neuron • Vesicles of acetylcholine will not be released
Summation • Low-level signals may be amplified • Persistent stimulus may cause several action potentials • May cause generator potentials to join together to produce an action potential
Acclimatisation • Synapses may run out of transmitter substance and become fatigued • No longer respond to stimulus • Helps to avoid over stimulation The creation of specific pathways within the nervous system is the basis of conscious thought and memory.