Physiology and Homeostasis Lecture Notes

This flashcard set covers the fundamental concepts of physiology, including homeostatic mechanisms, feedback loops, body fluid compartments, and the classification of primary tissues.

Physiology

The study of the functioning of the body.

Homeostasis

The bodys Ability to maintain a stable internal balance (like temp, Blood sugar,PH, blood pressure).

Set point

The target value for physiological variables in the body which allows the integrating center to detect changes.

Dynamic constantcy

The state of maintaining homeostasis through constant internal adjustments.

Sensors

Receptors that function to send information to an integrating center when changes in the body occur.

Integrating Center

The brain or spinal cord which detects deviations from a set point and directs the action of effectors.

Effector

Structures such as muscles or glands that take action to counter deviations from the set point by increasing or decreasing action.

Negative feedback loop

An action that counteracts change to bring the system back to Stability, effectively reversing the loop.

Positive feedback

A goal-oriented process where effectors amplify or reinforce the changes that stimulated the sensor, such as in childbirth, milk lactation, or blood clotting.

Antagnostic effectors

Opposing systems that work together to keep homeostasis, often described as a push pull mechanism (e.g., insulin and glucagon).

Antagonistic effects

The specific actions that opposing structures have, such as shivering and vasoconstriction versus sweating and vasodilation.

Negative feedback inhibition

A control system where the final product of a pathway slows down or stops the process to prevent overproduction.

Intristic Regulation

Regulatory mechanisms built into the organs being regulated, such as vessels constricting or dialating without external interference.

Extrinsic Regulation

The control of body effectors or organs by the nervous and endocrine systems.

Intracellelar compartment

Fluid inside cells (ICF) where $67\%$ of body water is contained.

Extracellelar compartment

Fluid outside of cells (ECF) where $33\%$ of body water is found.

Interstitium

The portion of the extracellelvar fluid located within tissues, accounting for $80\%$ of the ECF.

Blood plasma

The portion of the ECF located within the blood, accounting for $20\%$ of the ECF.

Cells

The basic unit of structures and function in the body.

Tissues

Groups of cells with similar functions, categorized into four primary types: muscle, nerve, epithelial, and connective.

Simple Epithelium

Epithelial tissue consists of only one layer of cells.

Stratified Epithelium

Epithelial tissue consisting of a lot of layers of cells.