W1 L2 (Homeostasis and Neuronal Biology) Flashcards
Homeostasis
The ability of a cell or organism to regulate and control its internal conditions typically using feedback systems
Set point
The state of which the body attempts to return to when there is a change from this given state, ie the desired state
Physiological Range
A steady state or range at which the body operates most efficiently
Why is it that feedback loops are used to oppose change in the set point, but high blood pressure and body weight seem to represent new set points?
There is not a very good understanding as to why pressure and weight are allowed to fluctuate so much. Weight gets out of hand when hormonal systems get out of whack. High blood pressure is accommodated due to the elasticity of vessels, however, this can lead to rupture, plaque builds up, or even wall thickening.
How do you distinguish between a response that is orderly and one that is disorderly?
An orderly response attempts to bring the controlled variable back to the set point ex. (blood pressure). While a disorderly one creates chaos in an attempt to eliminate the factor that is affecting the set point ex. (body gets super hot with a fever to try to make itself inhospitable for the bacteria). If all goes well the fever goes down if not then the disease will persist.
What does it mean that neurons are polarized?
Neurons are physically and chemically polar. The information flows in one direction and they are designed this way. Information is received at the dendrites, integrated at the soma, and travels down the axon to the synaptic terminal where it reaches its target.
Are glial cells connective tissue or nervous tissue? Or are they both, since glial cells support and protect the neurons and are within the nervous system?
They give support to neurons however they are considered nervous tissue and not connective tissue; they are also separate from neurons. Connective tissue typically has extensive extracellular matrix proteins, and many cells such as fibroblasts and chondrocytes.
Anterograde axonal transport
A mechanism where proteins travel from the soma to various parts of the cell in the normal direction of flow
Retrograde axonal transport
A mechanism where proteins travel from parts of the neuron back to the soma in reverse direction of flow
How does anterograde and retrograde axonal transport contribute to the polarization of the neurons?
Anterograde or retrograde axonal transport have to be in place in order to polarize the cell by moving proteins to maintain an electrical difference. Also, moving many proteins to and from the far corners of the neuron is energetically expensive, and represents one of the many reasons why the nervous system needs a constant supply of oxygen and glucose.
Physiology in Latin
Physio=Nature Logica=Study
Why can’t the body’s cells live independently?
The majority of body cells can’t live on their own because they aren’t exposed to the external environment. For example, a muscle cell can’t exchange nutrients externally because it is isolated from the external environment.
Internal environment (ECF)
The body’s aqueous extracellular environment, which consists of the plasma and interstitial fluid and which must be homeostatically maintained for the cells to make life-sustaining exchanges with it
What allows isolated cells to exchange essential nutrients?
The Internal Environment (ECF) which surrounds them
Intracellular fluid
The fluid contained within all of the body’s cells
Extracellular fluid
The fluid outside of the cells and inside the body
What two things are ECF composed of?
Plasma and interstitial fluid
How are is plasma like a train track?
All of the important nutrients that must be used, digested, excreted etc., are put into the plasma by cells and released into the interstitial fluid surrounding the desired location.
What are stem cells and what are the two types?
Cells which can renew themselves through division. Embryonic stem cells have the ability to become many types of cells and adult stem cells which are used for repair can replicate the type that they are.
Explain the relationship between homeostasis, cells, and body systems
Homeostasis is essential for the survival of cells; cells make up body systems; body systems maintain homeostasis.
List the 7 homeostatically maintained components of the internal environment and explain why
- Concentration of oxygen and carbon dioxide- Oxygen is needed for reactions, carbon dioxide must be removed to stop the acidity from rising 2. Concentration of nutrients- Cells need nutrients 3. Concentration of waste products- Accumulation of waste products is toxic 4. Concentration of water, salt, and electrolytes- Cells don’t work when swollen or shriveled 5. Temperature- Too cold and cells slow down, too hot and cells denature 6. pH-Cells only function within a certain pH range as enzymes may denature 7. Volume and pressure- The plasma must be in ideal conditions or transport throughout the cell won’t take place
What are the 3 steps of a homeostatic control system to maintain homeostasis?
- Detection of deviation (Receptor) 2. Integration of this information (Control center) 3. Make adjustments to return to normal (Effector)
Homeostatic control system
A functionally interconnected network of body components operating to maintain the range of a given variable in the internal environment within a certain range
Intrinsic controls
A control mechanism causes a change in the organ itself to regenerate equilibrium. Ex. Relaxing of de-oxygenated muscle leads to increased oxygenated blood flow through certain vessels to this muscle.
Extrinsic controls
Regulatory mechanisms initiated outside an organ that alter the activity of the organ; accomplished by the nervous and endocrine systems. Ex. Nervous system works on heart and vessels to maintain desired blood pressure.
Feedback
Response after a change has been made
Feedforward
Anticipation of a change that is imminent
Negative feedback
A change in a variable triggers a response that opposes the change and returns the variable to the stable set point. Ex. Temperature regulation
Steps of a negative feedback loop
- There is a change in the controlled variable 2. The sensor detects the change from the desired set point or physiological range and sends a signal to the integrator 3. The integrator calls upon an effector to return to the desired state “Know, Compare, Adjust”
Sensor “Security Gaurd”
A cell that detects a given property and records or responds to it
Control Center/Integrator “Boss”
The part of the process that receives information from the sensor and compares it with that of the set point or physiological range. The integrator also calls upon the effector to initiate a return to the set point
Effector “Sniper”
Receives message from the integrator and initiates a change back towards the set point
Thermoregulatory Control
The process by which the body maintains a constant internal temperature. 1. Temperature monitoring nerve-cells in the hypothalamus detect a change from 37 degrees Celsius 2. Temp monitoring cells signal to nerve cells in the control center 3. The control center cells activate heating (sweating) or cooling (shivering) mechanisms to return to the set point 4. The heating or cooling continues until the setpoint is reached at which point the temperature monitoring cells stop the effector
Negative feedback vs Positive feedback respond to stimulus
Neg- The response to the stimulus decreases the stimulus Pos- The response to the stimulus increases the stimulus
Positive feedback
A mechanism where a stimulus and a response in a system increase the output of each other and thus further the system from the equilibrium or stable point. Ex. During child birth contractions increase and oxytocin creates a positive-feedback loop
Heatstroke
A harmful positive feedback loop in which the body’s temperature regulating system has been rendered useless and the body’s temperature continues to rise and damage the control center
3 example of when homeostasis isn’t absolute constancy
- Heart rate changes from beat to beat 2. Body temperature rises as the day gets warmer 3. Our hormones change with each month (women especially) and with age
Feed forward example-Insulin
When a meal is eaten insulin is released which promotes the cellular uptake and storage of nutrients as to not have too many nutrients in the blood (high glucose levels)