Homeostasis
If something is living, it must have:
Organisation
o Through cell structure like the nucleus, the cell wall, ribosomes, golgi body, etc.
Cellular composition
o Is it made of cells?
Metabolism
o Taking in nutrients, converting it into energy (ATP), and producing waste
Responsiveness
o How they respond to their surroundings
Homeostasis
o The maintenance of equilibrium of stability in the body, despite the changes in the external
environment
Development
o Growth
Reproduction
o Can it reproduce another organism?
Evolution
o Its change over time
Homos = same/similar, stasis = stay still
Homeostasis refers to the body’s ability to maintain a stable environment within a narrow-pre-set range, relative
to a variable external environment. Each bodily structure contributes to keeping internal environment within
normal limits.
Deviating outside of these limits can mean disease or something harmful for the body.
The body has regulating systems where nerve impulses and/ or chemical messengers transmit information
needed to maintain homeostasis through Feedback Systems to the brain, communicating between each other
such as:
Nervous system (brain, spinal cord, and nerves)
Endocrine system (glands and hormones)
The Environment
Internal environment:
o Inside our bodies, cells, and what is inside them which must be kept stable
o Our bodies are able to activate physiological mechanisms to keep the internal
environment stable
o Exchange of nutrients and waste products must take place between the ICF and ECF
o Factors that need to be maintained within narrow ranges
Gases (oxygen and carbon dioxide)
Ions (Na+, K+, Ca2+, etc)
Nutrients (glucose; diabetes)
pH (acidic/ basic balance, blood in the body to be kept between 7.35-7.45pH)
Water (hydrated/ dehydrated, kidneys)
Temperature (human body temperature of 370C)
External environment:
o Greatly variable
o We have no control over it
o Our bodies must respond to it
Disruption to Homeostasis
Imbalance and disruption to optimum range for normal body functions, in which it must be corrected
If not corrected it can result in disease (diabetes mellitus, rickets, anaemia, hyper/hypotension, etc), or death
Factors That Affect Homeostasis
The body is constantly exposed to factors that can challenge homeostatic balances
Internal disruptions (an over/ under active thyroid, etc)
External disruptions (weather, altitude, etc)
Can be short in duration and mild (exercise)
Can be long in duration and intense (high blood pressure)
Feedback Systems
Cycle of events in which body conditions are
o Monitored
o Evaluated
o Maintained/ changed
o Re-evaluated
Two types of feedback systems
o Negative feedback
o Positive feedback
Receptor
Receives the information or stimuli (stimulus) from the
surrounding environment
Passes this info onto the control centre in the brain
Control centre
Sets the range of values
Evaluates the incoming info (thinks about it)
Conveys output to the effector (gives the order) to then change something in the body and conveys the
message to the effector (or if no change needs to happen also)
Determines next action (decides what is next)
Effector
Receives the order from the control centre
Carries out the work = response (brings about the effect)
Negative Feedback System
The response opposes the initial stimulus to reverse the change
Most homeostatic mechanisms are negative feedback mechanisms
Used in conditions that need frequent adjustments
Even though the classic example used when describing negative feedback loops is temperature regulation,
negative feedback loops are used to regulate many other parameters. Not just temperature.
o E.g. Blood pressure, blood glucose levels, the thirst response, red blood cell counts, blood calcium
levels, etc
Positive Feedback System
Response strengthens or enhances the stimulus to produce an even greater (amplified) change
Positive feedback loops are used when you want to produce a large, rapid change
There are fewer examples of positive feedback loops
o Release of oxytocin (hormone) during childbirth
o Release of oxytocin during breast feeding
o Formation of the platelet plug during blood clotting
o Activation of immune cells etc
o Release of more adrenaline to the body
