Homeostasis

Chapter 8
• Some people have oily skin while some
have dry skin and some have combination
skin. Why is this so?
Learning Objectives

• define homeostasis as the maintenance of a

constant internal environment
• explain the basic principles of homeostasis in
terms of stimulus resulting from a change in
the internal environment, a corrective
mechanism and a negative feedback
Definition
• Homeostasis is the maintenance of
a constant internal environment.
• internal environment is made up of blood
and tissue fluid.
What factors within the internal
environment must be kept constant?
• The concentration of glucose
• The concentration of ions, e.g. sodium and potassium
• The concentration of carbon dioxide
• The osmotic pressure, determined by the relative
concentrations of water and solutes (osmoregulation)
• Temperature (thermoregulation)
• The pH (acid-base balance)
• Nitrogenous waste products and other toxic substances,
which are either eliminated or at least kept to a minimum
Importance of Homeostasis
• Homeostasis keeps the body environment
under control and keeps the conditions
right for cells to live and function.
• For eg. Enzymes in our body can only
work at a narrow range of pH and
temperature. Changes in these conditions
can lead to enzyme denaturation or
inactivation that can subsequently affect
the workings of our body.
 For any homeostatic control to
occur there must be:
• A stimulus which is a change in the
internal environment.
• A receptor which can detect the stimulus.
• An automatic or self-regulatory
corrective mechanism to finally bring
about
• A negative feedback.
Negative Feedback
• Homeostasis involves an important
principle called negative feedback
which is the reverse effect of a
stimulus.

• An increase in temperature will induce a

feedback to decrease the temperature.
• A decrease in temperature will induce a
feedback to increase the temperature.
 Examples of homeostasis in Man:
1. Regulation of blood glucose
concentration
– Body cells need glucose for tissue
respiration to provide energy. The
concentration in blood plasma remains
relatively constant.
– Glucose level may rise after a meal. It falls
during exercise or starvation.
– How is the concentration of glucose in blood
plasma regulated?
1. Regulation of blood water potential.
– Recall the functions of kidney to regulate water
potential.
1. Regulation of carbon dioxide level.
– Changes in carbon dioxide concentration of
blood automatically affects the rate of
breathing.

– Exercising increase the concentration of

carbon dioxide in blood hence the also the
rate of breathing.
Learning Objectives

• define homeostasis as the maintenance of a constant

internal environment
• explain the basic principles of homeostasis in terms of
stimulus resulting from a change in the internal
environment, a corrective mechanism and a negative
feedback
• identify on a diagram of the skin: hairs, sweat glands,
temperature receptors, blood vessels and fatty tissue
• describe the maintenance of a constant body
temperature in humans in terms of insulation and the
role of: temperature receptors in the skin, sweating,
shivering, blood vessels near the skin surface and the
co-ordinating role of the brain
• Regulation of blood temperature
Functions of the Mammalian Skin

• Regulates body temperature

• Protects the body against damages
• Prevents water loss
• Excretory organ
• Sensory organ
• Produces vitamin D
Structure of the Mammalian Skin
 Structure of the Mammalian Skin:
• Largest organ of the body
• Made up of 3 parts: epidermis, dermis
and hypodermis.
• The hypodermis is a few layers of adipose
cells (adipose tissue) where fat is stored.
• The fat serves as an insulation layer as
well as a food storage organ.
 The Epidermis
- Outer cornified layer
- Granular layer
- Innermost Malpighian layer
Parts of the Mammalian Skin
• Epidermis – Granular layer
– Outer cornified layer • Living cells synthesizing
• Dead & dry cells keratin
• Contains keratin • Flatter and ceases
which makes the skin division
water resistant and • Give rise towards
impenetratable cornified layer
• Protects body from – Innermost Malpighian
mechanical injury layer
• Prevents water loss • Pigmented living cells
through evaporation • Undergoes cell division
• Pigment protects
against harmful UV
rays
Parts of the Mammalian Skin
• Dermis
– Blood capillaries
• Arterioles that supply blood to the capillaries are
controlled by vasomotor nerves
• Vasodilation: arterioles dilate; more blood sent to
skin; heat lost
• Vasoconstriction: arterioles constrict; less blood
sent to skin; heat retained
• Constriction and dilation helps to increase or
decrease amount of blood brought to the surface
hence amount of heat lost to environment
 Parts of the Mammalian Skin
• Dermis
– Hair
• Formed in hair follicle (tube-like structure)
• Hair erector muscle attached to hair follicle
• When contract, it cause the hair to stand forming
“goosebumps”
• Base of follicle is the hair papilla where hair
develops; cells in papilla are nourished by
surrounding blood capillaries
– Sweat gland
• Coiled tubular gland producing sweat
• Surrounded by blood capillaries
• Sweat evaporates from skin for thermoregulation
 Parts of the Mammalian Skin
• Dermis
– Sebaceous gland
• At least 2 per follicle
• Secrete sebum into hair follicle
• Sebum
– lubricates hair
– maintain softness of skin
– prevents dehydration
– Antiseptic
– Sense receptors
• Nerve endings (found in epidermis too)
• Detect changes in external environment e.g. temp,
touch
 Parts of the Mammalian Skin
• Fatty tissues (adipose tissues)
– Insulating layer
 Thermoregulation
Ex t. Temp Ext. Temp
Bod y Temp Bod y Temp

Te mp erature
Blood Temp Receptor s in Bl ood Temp
Skin

Hy po th alam us
Heat Loss He at
Cen tre Gain Vaso -
Va sod ilati on constri cti on
Cen tre
Sw ea t Pd tn Rapi d Shiveri ng Swe at Pdt n
Brea th in g

Nega ti ve Fee db ack

Norma l
 Heat is lost from the body to prevent
overheating by:

– Through the skin by convection, radiation and

a little conduction.
– Evaporation of sweat from the surface of the
skin.
– In the faeces and urine.
– Expired air from lungs.
Advantages of constant body temperature:

– Can remain active throughout the day and

year unchanged with temperature variation.
– Enzymes work best at a constant optimum
temperature.
– Need not hibernate hence able to feed
throughout the seasons.
– Exploit and colonize areas with different
climate conditions.
• Be able to explain what happens when a
mammal (Man) experiences an increase and
decrease in environmental temperature.
• Be able to give special adaptations of what other
kinds of mammals do to maintain a constant
body temperature: (page 203)
– horse, bear, rabbit
– dog
– whale
– elephant
– mice
– polar bears