homeostasis/thermoregulation/osmoregulation

Homeostasis

The process of keeping the environment inside the body constant.

Stimulus

A change in the environment that is detected by sensory cells.

Receptor

Cells that detect the stimulus and generate a message in the form of a nerve impulse or hormone.

Modulator (Control Centre)

Processes the message received from the receptor and sends out a new message.

Effector

Muscles or glands that receive the message from the modulator and bring about an appropriate reaction.

Response

The action taken by the effector organ in reaction to the stimulation.

Feedback (Negative)

When the response changes the original stimulus, usually to restore equilibrium.

Thermoregulation

The process of maintaining an optimal body temperature.

Vasodilation

The widening of blood vessels, allowing for increased blood flow.

Vasoconstriction

The narrowing of blood vessels, allowing for reduced blood flow.

Glycogenesis

The process of converting glucose into glycogen for storage, typically stimulated by insulin.

Glycogenolysis

The breakdown of glycogen into glucose, raising blood sugar levels, typically stimulated by glucagon.

Gluconeogenesis

The process of creating glucose from non-carbohydrate sources, also raises blood sugar levels.

ADH (Antidiuretic Hormone)

Hormone that maintains water balance by increasing the permeability of kidney tubules to water.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 1

An insulin-dependent diabetes characterized by the destruction of beta cells in the pancreas.

Diabetes Mellitus Type 2

An adult-onset diabetes where body cells become less responsive to insulin.

Hyperglycemia

Abnormally high blood glucose level, causing symptoms such as excessive thirst and fatigue.

Osmoregulation

The control of water and solute concentration in the body to maintain homeostasis.

Excretion

The removal of waste products of metabolism from the body.

Nephron

The structural and functional unit of the kidney involved in the formation of urine.

Filtration

Process occurring in the renal capsule where blood is filtered to form urine.

Selective Reabsorption

The reabsorption of essential nutrients and water from the filtrate back into the blood.

Tubular Secretion

The process of transferring substances from the blood into the tubular fluid in the nephron.

Thirst Reflex

The hypothalamus-triggered sensation that prompts drinking behavior to restore body water levels.

Piloerection

The erection of hair follicles in response to cold, although ineffective in humans due to sparse body hair.