Revision: B4 :Homeostasis

B4.1What is homeostasis? It is the maintenance of a constant internal environment A range of factors need to be maintained you just need to know about temperature and water. Strenuous exercise like scuba diving and mountain climbing and surviving in hot and cold climates will affect homeostasis: temperature blood oxygen levels hydration salt levels.

Artificial systems like a baby incubator work in the same way as body control systems.

Receptors (to detect stimuli) Processing centres (to receive information and co-ordinate responses)
Effectors (to produce the response automatically)

Sensor

Thermostat

Heater (switch off)

Sensor

Thermostat

Heater (switch on)

Negative feedback This is when a factor (like temperature) goes above or below normal level.
This change is then detected. (by the receptor) A correcting mechanisms is then started. (by the effector) Factor level comes back to normal.

Some effectors work antagonistically (ie can do both increasing and decreasing) this allows a more sensitive response.

B4.2 : Why is homeostasis important for a cell? Understand that diffusion is the passive overall movement of molecules from a region of high concentration to a region of lower concentration.

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Recall some chemicals that move by diffusion.

oxygen (O2) carbon dioxide (CO2) dissolved food.

Understand that osmosis is the overall movement of water from a dilute to a more concentrated solution through a semi-permeable membrane.

Solute Water
Movement of water

Low water concentration High solute concentration

High water concentration Low solute concentration

Concentrated salt solution

Pure water

Water moves out of the plant cell into the solution by osmosis, so the mass ______.

Water moves into the plant cell from the solution by osmosis, so the mass ______.

Strong solution

Pure water

Concentration X No overall gain or loss of water molecules

Understand how osmosis can affect animal cells.

Animal cells only have a thin cell membrane, not a firm cell wall as plant cells do. If animal cells are surrounded by a solution which has a lower solute concentration than the cell, then water will move into the cell. This can cause the cell to rupture. If animal cells are surrounded by a solution which has a higher solute concentration than the cell, then water will move out of the cell. This lack of water will prevent the cell from functioning properly.

Recall that some chemicals are also moved by active transport. Active transport is used to move substances from where they are in low concentration to where they are in high concentration the cell uses energy to do this. Glucose is pumped into some cells by active transport.

Particle recognised by carrier protein

Carrier protein Cell surface membrane

Particle released into cell, even against a concentration gradient.

Enzymes

Enzymes are proteins.

Enzymes speed up chemical reactions inside cells. Enzymes are affected by temperatures: All enzymes need a specific, constant temperature to work efficiently.

Enzymes and temperature

At low temperatures, increasing the temperature even a little bit speeds up the reaction a lot.

This happens because as temperature increases, the frequency and energy of the collisions between the enzyme molecules and other molecules increases.

At high temperature, enzymes are denatured.

This means they stop working. It is irreversible.

Enzymes lock and key theory

Only molecules with the correct shape can fit into the enzyme molecule.

This means that enzymes are specific (they will only work on one type of substance)

Enzymes the active site

If the shape of the active site changes too much, then the enzyme cannot join with the substrate molecule. Heating above a certain temperature and changing
the pH both alter the shape of the active site.

B4.3 How is our body temperature kept constant? To maintain a constant body temperature energy gain and energy loss must be balanced. Body extremities tend to be cooler than the core temperature. Energy is transferred from the blood to the body tissues in cooler areas.

The skin contains receptors for the external temperature.

The hypothalamus in the brain detects the temperature of the blood.

Body temperature above normal

More sweat produced As the sweat evaporates it removes heat from the body Vasodilation Capillaries in the skin dilate (get wider) so that more blood flows close to the skin surface which increases energy loss

Heat stroke

Heat stroke is an uncontrolled increase in body temperature. Causes: Fever, prolonged exercise, over exposure to th and drugs like ecstasy. Symptoms : Hot, dry skin ( sweating has stopped) Rapid pulse (dehydration, stress, increased metabolic rate).

Dizziness and confusion (nerve damage in the brain) Initial treatment : Sponging with water, wrapping in towels, use a fan, ice in armpits & groin.

When the core body temperature becomes too high, the normal mechanisms for controlling body temperature break down. Exposure to very hot temperatures Increased sweating

dehydration

Increase in core body temperature

Reduced sweating

Body temperature below normal

Shivering rapid muscle contraction stimulates increased rate of respiration, some of the energy released warms surrounding tissue.

Vasoconsriction
Capillaries in the skin constrict (get narrower) so that less blood flows close to the skin surface which reduces energy loss

Hypothermia

Hypothermia is when the core body temperature falls below 35oC. Causes: being exposed to low temperatures for a long ti

Symptoms : core temp below 350C = shivering, confusion, drowsiness, slurred speech.
core temp below 300C = coma

core temp below 280C = breathing stops Initial treatment :Insulate them, warm gently with towels, give warm drinks (not alcohol).

B4.4 : How does the body control water balance?

In

Out

Food and drink Breath Sweat Water made in respiration Faeces Urine
Our bodies need a balanced water level to keep the internal concentration of our cells at the correct level for them to work properly.

The kidneys Kidneys do two main jobs: 1. Remove waste urea from the blood. 2. Keep a balance of other chemicals in the blood including water.

How kidneys work

Filtering all small molecules from the blood.

Reabsorbing all of the glucose. Reabsorbing as much salt as the body needs. Reabsorbing as much water as the body needs.

Excreting the remaining urea, excess water and salt as urine, which is stored in the bladder.

Water balance The concentration of blood plasma is monitored as it passes through the brain. If the blood is too dilute then kidneys excrete more water in the urine. If the blood is too concentrated then kidneys excrete less water in the urine.

The amount of water in the blood depends on: external temperature, exercise, intake of fluids and salts.

ADH and water balance.

The concentration of urine is controlled by a hormone called ADH.

It is released into the bloodstream by the pituitary gland.

Blood too concentrated detected in brain Normal blood concentration

ADH secreted by pituitary gland

ADH causes kidneys to reabsorb more water to blood

Normal blood concentration

Blood too dilute detected in brain

ADH not secreted by pituitary gland

kidneys reabsorb less water to blood

The effect of alcohol and ecstasy Alcohol results in a greater volume of more dilute urine. This is due to ADH suppression.
This can lead to dehydration. Ecstasy results in a smaller volume of more concentrated urine. This is due to increased ADH production.