Homeostasis - Stephie Loncar
Homeostasis is the process within mammals where the body systems work together to maintain a stable response to a fluctuating environment within the body due to changes in the external environment and input into the body. This has an adaptive advantage over those who do not have this ability meaning an animal can adapt to a changing environment. However, within normal range limits only extreme conditions will lead to the breakdown of the negative feedback system and homeostasis. The homeostasis process is used during blood glucose regulation within the body. This is the process whereby the body uses hormones to keep the glucose levels in the blood at a stable level to ensure the body's optimum function.
Blood …show more content…
As blood sugar levels get low the alpha particles detect electrical change from neurons providing information about the brain's ‘fuel’ levels by the receptor cells on the membrane of the cell. As the low levels are detected the pancreas, alpha cells undergo similar chemical reactions to beta cells and in turn release a different hormone called glucagon. The glucagon is released into the bloodstream and sent to the liver. The glucagon binds to its receptor/target cells, it also changes the shape of the receptor and activates enzyme activity inside the cell. Chemical reactions as a result of this process lead to the production of the same enzyme that is used to convert glucose to glycogen, phosphorylase. The phosphorylase catalyses the reaction of glycogen back to glucose, this process is called Glycogenesis. As the levels of glucose in the cell rise, the glucose moves out of the cell by facilitated diffusion until the blood glucose levels are back at an optimum …show more content…
An important adaptive advantage of this is how mammals and birds (organisms that use homeostasis) are able to function is a larger range of environmental conditions. For example, in cold temperatures a cold blooded reptile will not be able to function and will become slow thinking and moving while a warm blooded organism will be fully active. However, the only consequence is organisms that use homeostasis regulation require an input of energy. This means human must eat far more frequently than a snake for example, who may only eat once a week. The survival of humans is dependent on ensuring a stable amount of blood glucose. This is because the brain and other important tissues, including immune cells and red blood cells rely on glucose to function. The brain needs above 2.5 mM of glucose to be able to function. This explains why people get seizures if blood glucose levels are not regulated. Maintaining blood glucose homeostasis is a matter of life and
Homeostasis is the process within mammals where the body systems work together to maintain a stable response to a fluctuating environment within the body due to changes in the external environment and input into the body. This has an adaptive advantage over those who do not have this ability meaning an animal can adapt to a changing environment. However, within normal range limits only extreme conditions will lead to the breakdown of the negative feedback system and homeostasis. The homeostasis process is used during blood glucose regulation within the body. This is the process whereby the body uses hormones to keep the glucose levels in the blood at a stable level to ensure the body's optimum function.
Blood …show more content…
As blood sugar levels get low the alpha particles detect electrical change from neurons providing information about the brain's ‘fuel’ levels by the receptor cells on the membrane of the cell. As the low levels are detected the pancreas, alpha cells undergo similar chemical reactions to beta cells and in turn release a different hormone called glucagon. The glucagon is released into the bloodstream and sent to the liver. The glucagon binds to its receptor/target cells, it also changes the shape of the receptor and activates enzyme activity inside the cell. Chemical reactions as a result of this process lead to the production of the same enzyme that is used to convert glucose to glycogen, phosphorylase. The phosphorylase catalyses the reaction of glycogen back to glucose, this process is called Glycogenesis. As the levels of glucose in the cell rise, the glucose moves out of the cell by facilitated diffusion until the blood glucose levels are back at an optimum …show more content…
An important adaptive advantage of this is how mammals and birds (organisms that use homeostasis) are able to function is a larger range of environmental conditions. For example, in cold temperatures a cold blooded reptile will not be able to function and will become slow thinking and moving while a warm blooded organism will be fully active. However, the only consequence is organisms that use homeostasis regulation require an input of energy. This means human must eat far more frequently than a snake for example, who may only eat once a week. The survival of humans is dependent on ensuring a stable amount of blood glucose. This is because the brain and other important tissues, including immune cells and red blood cells rely on glucose to function. The brain needs above 2.5 mM of glucose to be able to function. This explains why people get seizures if blood glucose levels are not regulated. Maintaining blood glucose homeostasis is a matter of life and