Homeostasis Flashcards
(43 cards)
what is homeostasis?
maintaining a constant internal environment to be able to respond to changes in the external environment
what needs controlling in the body?
- water
- pH
- urea
- temperature
- CO2
- blood sugar
what is a stimulus?
a change in the environment of an organism
how does an organism respond to a stimulus?
an animal’s response to a stimulus is coordinated by their central nervous system. The CNS consists of the brain and spinal cord. It gathers information about, and responds to, changes in the environment. Receptors respond to a stimulus and send impulses along sensory neurons to the CNS. The CNS coordinates the info and sends impulses along motor neurons to the effectors, which bring out a response
what is osmoregulation?
controlling water content in the body
what is thermoregulation?
control of an optimum temperature for the body (allowing enzymes to work in an optimum environment)
how does the body control temperature (too hot)?
- sweat glands (in skin) release more sweat which evaporates, removing heat energy from the skin
- blood vessels (leading to the skin capillaries) dilate (become wider) to allow more blood to flow through the skin, and so more heat is lost (and the body can cool down)
- hair muscles relax; by lying flat, so heat can escape
how does the body control temperature (too cold)?
- muscles contract rapidly, resulting in shivering; these contractions need energy from respiration, so some of it is released as heat
- blood vessels constrict (become narrower) to conserve more heat in the body by letting less blood flow through the skin
- hair muscles pull hair on its end; it traps a layer of air above skin, to help insulate the skin against heat loss
how does the pancreas monitor and control the blood glucose concentration (too high)?
- the pancreas secrete insulin which enters the blood
- insulin allows glucose to be absorbed by body cells
- blood glucose is reduced
how does the pancreas monitor and control the blood glucose concentration (too low)?
- pancreas doesn’t produce insulin
- less glucose is absorbed by body cells
- blood glucose increased
what does a coordinated response require?
- a stimulus
- a receptor
- an effector
what is a receptor?
receptors are a group of cells that detect an external stimuli, they are situated in all the sense organs
what are effectors?
effectors, for example muscle cells and cells found in glands, are cells that coordinate a response to the stimuli. They can react in different ways depending on the stimuli, for example, glands can secrete hormones whereas muscles can contract.
what is the difference between nervous and hormonal communication?
the nervous and hormonal system both coordinate responses within the body. The nervous does this by electrical impulses so is very fast. Hormones do this with chemicals which travel, a little slower at the speed of the bloodstream
how does the nervous communication system work?
- stimulation of receptors in sense organs sends electrical impulses
- messages are carried by electrical impulses along nerves and neurons
- fast impulses
- short-lived
how does the hormonal communication system work?
- endocrine glands produce hormones
- hormones are carried by the plasma to target hormones to stimulate change
- slow as it is carried by plasma
- long-lived
what is the role and source of ADH?
a lack of water is detected by the hypothalamus in the brain, it causes the pituitary gland to produce ADH. This makes the kidneys reabsorb more water-so less is lost from the body. (Control water levels)
what is the role and source of adrenaline?
adrenaline is produced in the adrenal gland and prepares the body for ‘fight’ of ‘flee/flight’. Heart rate quickens to increase the flow of blood to muscles- this means that they can respire more (as there is more oxygen available) to provide energy.
what is the role and source of testosterone?
produced in ovaries in girls and testicles in boys. Plays a key role in puberty, developing sex organs and inspiring hair growth
what is the role and source of progesterone?
produced in the ovaries it maintains the lining ready for pregnancy, and continues to do so if the egg is fertilised
what is the role and source of insulin?
located in the pancreas and it lowers blood glucose
wha is the role and source of oestrogen?
produced in the ovaries, is controls other hormones to regulate the menstrual cycle. It stops the production of FSH and starts the production of LH
what does the central nervous system consist of?
- the central nervous system decides the response for a stimulus which is detected by a receptor
- sensory neurons will carry these messages (impulses) to the central nervous system (brain and spinal cord) to be passed on to the effector by motor neurons
- effector will carry out the response
what are the different types of nerve/neurons?
- sensory neuron- connect the sense cells to the CNS
- motor neurons- connect the CNS to the effectors
- relay neurons- connect the sensory neuron to the motor neurons in the CNS
