BETA - homeostasis & feedback Flashcards
(19 cards)
What is cancer?
A disease resulting from the uncontrolled growth and division of the cells of a multicellular organism
Cancer can arise from genetic mutations or external factors.
What is a cell?
The basic structural unit of all living organisms
Cells can be prokaryotic or eukaryotic.
What is the control center?
The part of the body that processes information from the receptor and sends a response to the effector
Examples include the brain and spinal cord.
What are effectors?
Organs, tissues, or cells that produce a response when stimulated by a signal from a control center
Examples include muscles and glands.
Define equilibrium.
A condition in which all competing influences are balanced
This can refer to physical or physiological states.
What is feedback?
A response within a system that affects the productivity of that system by amplifying or diminishing its end product
Feedback can be positive or negative.
What is a feedback mechanism?
A system of receptors, control centers, and effectors that maintain homeostasis by sensing, evaluating, and adjusting the body’s internal conditions
This mechanism is crucial for regulating physiological processes.
Define gene expression.
The process by which genetic information generates a specific protein or trait
This process can be influenced by environmental factors.
What is homeostasis?
The tendency for a system, such as a cell, to maintain relatively constant internal conditions
Homeostasis is vital for survival.
What is a hormone?
A chemical substance secreted by endocrine glands into the bloodstream that controls or regulates specific physiological processes
Hormones can affect various bodily functions, including metabolism and growth.
Where is the hypothalamus located?
Below the thalamus and above the brain stem
It plays a key role in regulating homeostasis.
What is internal equilibrium?
A characteristic of a system with a receptor that monitors conditions and sends information to a control center that in turn sends signals to an effector to produce a response that maintains homeostasis
This process is essential for the stability of physiological functions.
Define multicellular.
Composed of more than one cell
Multicellular organisms include plants and animals.
What is negative feedback?
A control mechanism in which a change in the body triggers a response that counteracts the change
This is a common way to maintain homeostasis.
What is an organism?
A single, self-contained entity that performs all of the basic functions of life
Organisms can be unicellular or multicellular.
Define pathogen.
A virus, bacterium, or other organism that causes an infectious disease
Pathogens can lead to various illnesses.
What is positive feedback?
A control mechanism where the response amplifies or reinforces the stimulus
This is less common than negative feedback but important in certain processes such as childbirth.
What are receptors?
Sensory nerve endings that detect a stimulus
Receptors are crucial for sensing environmental changes.
What are stimuli?
Things that prompt a response or action
Stimuli can be internal or external.
