Chapter 6 - Homeostasis

FORM 4; BIOLOGY
 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis

6.1 The Importance of Homeostasis

You should be able to:

• define homeostasis and explain its
importance in living organisms; and
• explain the concept of negative feedback

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.1 The Importance of Homeostasis

What is Homeostasis?
• Homeostasis refers to the maintenance of a
constant internal environment.

• Our daily activities are all controlled by the

chemical reactions of different cells in our
bodies, which are bathed in tissue fluid – the
internal environment.

• The composition of tissue fluid has to be kept

within narrow limits.
Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.1 The Importance of Homeostasis

Why is homeostasis important?

• Body cell functions can be upset by small
fluctuations in:
▫ Temperature
▫ pH
▫ Carbon dioxide levels
▫ Oxygen levels
▫ Osmotic pressure
▫ Chemical ions

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.1 The Importance of Homeostasis

Homeostasis helps to maintain stability in an organism

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis

• Cells are made of biological molecules such as proteins, which

make them very sensitive to slight fluctuations in temperature
and pH.
• E.g. a rise in carbon dioxide levels in the blood causes pH
levels to fall, which affects the activity of enzymes and thus
alter the rate of cellular reactions.

• Water content of blood also needs to be tightly regulated to

avoid drastic changes to the shape of a cell which will affect
the normal function of the cell.

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.1 The Importance of Homeostasis

Negative Feedback

• Negative feedback is the basis of the homeostatic

control mechanisms in our bodies.

• It functions to maintain stability in our body

system.

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.1 The Importance of Homeostasis

Negative Feedback
• A negative feedback system consists of the
following components:

• Stimulus – change introduced to the system

• Receptor – detects the stimulus
• Regulator – receives information from the receptor
about the change in the system
• Corrective mechanism – counteracts the change
(stimulus) and brings the system back to the norm
• Effector – carries out the corrective mechanism

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.1 The Importance of Homeostasis

A general negative feedback mechanism

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis

6.2 Homeostatic Control in Man

You should be able to:
• describe the maintenance of blood glucose
levels; and
• describe the process of osmoregulation.

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.2 Homeostatic Control in Man

• When blood glucose level rises, the hormone

insulin is secreted to decrease the glucose
level in blood
• When the blood glucose level is low, glucagon
is secreted to raise blood glucose level to
normal

Diabetics require insulin injection

due to lack of insulin secretion by
their bodies
Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.2 Homeostatic Control in Man

Regulation of blood glucose concentration

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.2 Homeostatic Control in Man

• The hypothalamus in the brain is the regulator

of many important processes, including
osmoregulation (regulation of water and ion
concentrations in the body) and temperature
control.

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.2 Homeostatic Control in Man

Osmoregulation – Regulation of blood water molecule concentration

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis

6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

You should be able to:
• describe the maintenance of a constant body
temperature in humans, including the role of
the skin.

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

• Thermoregulation (temperature control) is one

of the most important example of homeostasis.

• It helps to maintain body temperatures at a constant

37oC for mammals and humans.

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

Heat Gain and Heat Loss

• Sources of heat gain
▫ From the sun and atmosphere
▫ Intake of hot food and drinks
▫ Actively respiring organs such as the liver
• Sources of heat loss
▫ From exposed surfaces of the body via
conduction, convection and radiation
▫ Evaporation of sweat in humans
▫ Expired air from lungs
▫ Faeces and urine
Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

• Birds and mammals are homeothermic, able to

keep their body temperatures consistent by
losing heat and producing heat internally.

• Fish, amphibians, reptiles and insects are

poikilothermic, their temperatures vary,
matching with that of their surroundings.

• Poikilotherms generally do not possess internal

thermoregulatory mechanisms, but can still control
their body temperature by varying their behaviour.

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

Hypothalamus regulates body temperature in humans

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

The skin is made up of three main layers:

• Epidermis
- cornified layer (dead cells, deposits of keratin)
- Malpighian layer (living cells, pigmented with melanin)
• Dermis
- blood capillaries, hair, sebaceous glands, sweat
glands, sense receptors
• Hypodermis
- blood vessels and adipose tissue

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

The dermis layer is made up of :

• Blood capillaries – Supply blood to skin

• Sebaceous glands – secrete sebum into hair follicle,
keeping skin soft and moist, and hair from turning
brittle
• Hair – attached to epidermis by hair erector muscle
• Sweat glands – secrete sweat continuously
• Sense receptors – detect pain, pressure and
temperature changes

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

Cross section of human skin

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

Role of the skin in temperature regulation

The effectors in the skin involved in
temperature regulation are:
• Smooth muscles of arterioles in skin
• Sweat glands
• Hair erector muscles

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

Role of the skin in temperature regulation

• Smooth muscles in arterioles of skin

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

Role of the skin in temperature regulation

• Sweat glands

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

Role of the skin in temperature regulation

• Hair erector muscles

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis
6.3 Temperature Control in Mammals

• In addition to thermoregulatory responses in

the skin, other mechanisms help to maintain
the temperature in mammals.
• They are
▫ Increasing/decreasing metabolic rate
▫ Shivering
▫ Voluntary actions (e.g. putting on clothing,
moving to a colder/warmer place, drinking cold
water on a hot day)

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis

Thermoregulation – how our body controls its own temperature

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY
 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis

Key Concepts
• Homeostasis is the maintenance of a constant
internal environment.
• Homeostatic control mechanisms rely on negative
feedback to maintain a constant value (norm/set
point).
• Negative feedback refers to a process that reduces
the deviation from the set point.
• The control centre of temperature regulation is the
hypothalamus in the brain.
• The main difference between homoiotherms and
poikilotherms is that the hormer can maintain their
own body temperature using internal mechanisms
while the latter relies on behavioural means.

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 CHAPTER 6 Homeostasis

Key Concepts
• Arterioles increase heat loss by dilating and reduce
heat loss by constricting.
• When hair erector muscles contract, they raise the
hairs which help to trap an insulating layer of air.
• Effectors in the skin (either muscles or glands)
respond to messages from the hypothalamus to
regulate body temperature.
• Thermoregulation is achieved by controlling the
heat loss and heat gain mechanisms in the body.

Unit II PART B ANIMAL ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY