Unit 4 - Homeostasis Flashcards
homeostasis
- consists of mechanisms to ensure an ideal/constant internal cellular and biocemical environment
- ensures proper cellular/systemic function
components of homeostatic mechanisms
- detector
- decision-maker
- action(s) center
homeostatic feedback mechanisms
negative
- most common in homeostatic feedback loops
- alter the result (opposite effect)
positive
- augments the result (same effect)
- e.g. during labour, uterine muscle contractions increase in force and frequency, via oxytocin
- e.g. during lactation, milk is released in increasing frequencies
examples of homeostatic processes
thermoregulation
- ensures a constant internal temperature of 37°C is maintained
- hypothalamus acts as an “internal thermostat”; detects thermal changes
- e.g. goosebumps, shiver (thermogenesis), and vasoconstriction when it’s too cold
- e.g. sweating and vasodilation when it’s too hot
blood glucose regulation
- pancreas produces insulin to lower glucose levels in our blood (and to increase glycogen levels in the liver), when glucose levels are too low
- pancreas produces glucagon to increase glucose levels in our blood, by breaking down glycogen (in the liver) into glucose molecules, when glucose levels are too high
urine production
- is a dynamic process; partiality exists
- composed of 3 main parts:
1. filtration
2. re-absorption
3. secretion
flow of urine in the Bowman’s capture
filtration
flow of urine in the proximal tubule
- passive reabsorption of HCO3-, H2O, and K+
- active reabsorption of NaCl and nutrients (amino acids and glucose)
- active secretion of H+
- passive secretion of NH3
flow of urine in the decending limp of the loop of Henle
passive reabsorption of H2O
flow of urine in the ascending limp of the loop of Henle
passive and active reabsorption of NaCl
flow of urine in the distal tubule
- active reabsorption of NaCl and HCO3-
- passive reabsorption of H2O
- active secretion of K+ and H+
flow of urine in the collecting duct
- active secretion of urea, uric acid, and ammonia
- active reabsorption of NaCl
- passive reabsorption of H2O
kidney functions
- eliminates osmotic pressure (water balance)
- eliminates toxic metabolites (e.g. urea, uric acid)
- produces certain hormones (is an endocrine organ)
the nephron
the functional unit of the kidney
major parts of the nephron:
1. Bowman’s capsule
2. proximal tubule
3. descending loop of Henle
4. ascending loop of Henle
5. distal tubule
6. collecting duct
filtrate
- premature urine found in the Bowman’s capsule
- doesn’t contain red or white blood cells
- contains H2O, glucose, amino acids, and Na+, Cl-
osmotic pressure
is when particles bump against the walls of arteries, veins, etc.; is proportional to the amount of solutes in the blood (solvent)
osmotic pressure regulation
When blood osmotic pressure is too high (e.g. sweathing, dehydration)…
1. Osmoreceptors located in the hypothalamus detect changes in osmotic pressure.
2. Cells of the hypothalmus shrink; the nerve message is sent to the pituitary gland.
3. The pituitary gland stores and releases antidiuretic hormone (ADH) into the blood, and then to the kidneys; increasing the permeability of the distal tube and collecting duct, and therefore increasing H2O absorption.
4. There is a behavioural response: the sensation of thirst.
5. Drinking water lowers the osmotic pressure of blood.
6. Increased H2O reabsorption prevents the osmotic pressure of bodily fluids from increasing any further and prevents dehydration.
7. The collecting duct carries urine from the nephrons, to the pelvis of the kidney.
blood pressure regulation
When blood pressure/volume is too low (e.g. dehydration, blood loss)…
1. Specialized cells in the juxtaglomerular apparatus of the kidney release renin.
2. Renin converts angiotensinogen (a plasma protein) into angiotensin.
3. Angiotensin causes vasoconstriction of blood vessels.
4. Angiotensin stimulates the release of aldosterone from the adrenal gland. Aldosterone is carried in blood to the kidneys, and acts on the nephrons to increase Na+ and H2O reabsorption.
acid-base buffer system
When blood pH is too acidic (excess hydrogen ions), bicarbonate ions are used to buffer the blood (H+ + HCO3- → H2CO3).
When blood pH is too basic (excess hydroxide ions), carbonic acid is used to buffer the blood (OH- + H2CO3 → HCO3- + H2O).
blood pH regulation in respiration
When blood pH is too basic, a decreased breathing rate leads to a higher number of hydrogen ions (H2O + CO2→ H2CO3 →H+ + HCO3-).
When blood pH is too acidic, an increased breathing rate leads to more carbon dioxide exhaled, and a reduced number of hydrogen ions (H+ + HCO3- → H2CO3 → H2O + CO2).
blood pH regulation in kidneys
When blood pH is too basic…
1. HCO3- is reabsorbed.
2. H+ is excreted as needed to maintain the pH of the blood.
3. Excess hydrogen ions are buffered, for example, by ammonia which is produced in tubule cells by the breakdown of amino acids (NH3 + H+ → NH4+).
kidney diseases
- diabetes mellitus
- diabetes insipidus
- Bright’s disease
- kidney stones
- chronic renal impairment diseases
diabetes mellitus
- caused by inadequate secretion of insulin from β cells of islets of Langerhans in the pancreas
- without insulin, blood sugar levels rise; excess sugar remains in the nephron (sweet urine)
- greater osmotic pressure; H2O reabsorption is reduce
- large volumes of urine voided (dehydration and fatigue)
- includes type I (congenital), type II (developed during adulthood; 40+ years), and gestational diabetes
- metformin is commonly used to treat type II and gestational diabetes
- Banting and Best succesfully isolated insulin and treated a diabetic child
diabetes insipidus
- caused by the destruction of the ADH-producing cells in the hypothalamus, or the destruction of nerve tracts between the hypothalamus and the pituitary gland
- without ADH to regulate H2O reabsorption, urine output increases dramatically
Bright’s disease
- a.k.a. nephritis
- isn’t a single disease, but is a broad description of many diseases characterized by inflammation of the nephrons
- one type of nephritis is “glomeralitis” (inflammation of the glomerulus)
- proteins and other larger molecules pass into the nephron
- urine output increased (dehydration; lack of activity)
kidney stones
- caused by the precipitation of mineral solutes (Ca2+) from the blood
- categorized as either alkaline stones or acid stones
- delicate tissues are torn as the move toward the bladder; causes excruciating pain
dialysis technology
- restores the proper solute balance for people with inefficient kidneys
- dialysis is the exchange of substances across a semipermeable membrane
- operates on the principles of diffusion and blood pressure
- includes hemodialysis and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis
hemodialysis
- connected to the patient’s circulatory system by a vein
- blood pumped through various dialysis tubes
- urea and other wastes are continuously removes, via the continuous flushing of expended dialysis solution
- the body also receives hormones the kidneys are unable to produce
continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)
- 2 L of dialysis fluids are pumped into the abdominal cavity
- wastes diffuse from the plasma into the peritoneum and the dialysis fluid
- wastes accumulate in the dialysis fluids, and can be drained off and replaced several times a day
- CAPD allows for greater independence because the process can be done on your own at home
endocrinology
the study of hormonal action (e.g. insulin)
hormones
chemical messengers that signal other cells, via the circulatory system
exocrinology
the study of external secretions (e.g. sweat glands, gastric cells; pepsin)
paracrine signalling
involves factors (molecules) that signal adjacent cells
autocrine signalling
involves factors (molecules) that signal the same cell (e.g. stem cells partake in differentiation)
how steroid hormones work
- The hormone diffuses from the cell.
- The hormone diffuses into the target cell (steroids are hydrophobic lipids, and therefore pass through the fat-soluble lipid bilayer) and attaches to the cytosolic receptor.
- The hormone-receptor complex moves into the nucleus and attaches to DNA.
- A gene is activated in the DNA, and protein synthesis is initiated.
how protein hormones work
- The hormone is released from the cell.
- The hormone attaches to a surface receptor on the outside of the cell membrane.
- The hormone-receptor complex promotes the formation of cyclic AMP (cAMP), through ATP.
- cAMP acts as a messenger to activate enzymes; biochemical pathways are triggered (signal transduction).
chemical signalling
- The endocrine system maintains signals over long distances and for long periods of time (from endocrine cells to target cells, via the bloodstream).
- The nervous system uses rapid signalling; the neuron releases neurotransmitters (small proteins of 10-20 amino acids) via electrochemical impulses (action potential). The neurotransmitter diffuses across a gap called the synapse to target cells.
endocrine glands
- hypothalamus
- pituitary gland/hypophysis (includes anterior pituitary (adenohypophysis) and posterior pituitary (neurohypophysis))
- thyroid
- parathyroid
- adrenal gland (includes adrenal medulla and adrenal cortex)
- pancreas
- kidneys
- female ovaries
- male testes
gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH)
secreted by the hypothalamus to the anterior pituitary to release FSH and LH to the testes and ovaries