Homeostasis and Fluid/Electrolyte Balance

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms related to homeostasis, fluid and electrolyte balance, kidney function, and acid-base regulation.

Homeostasis

The balance in the body maintained by regulating factors such as fluid/electrolyte balance, osmotic balance, hydrogen ion homeostasis, and acid-base balance.

Intracellular Fluid (ICF)

Fluid contained within cells, which makes up about 2/3 of total body fluid.

Extracellular Fluid (ECF)

Fluid outside of cells, comprising about 1/3 of total body fluid, which includes interstitial fluid and plasma.

Osmolality

A measure of the solute concentration per unit of solvent, maintained around 285-295 mOsm/kg in body fluids.

Electrolytes

Ionic substances in the body, such as Na+ and K+, essential for fluid balance and cellular activities.

Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)

A hormone produced by the posterior pituitary gland that increases the permeability of renal tubules to water and helps regulate blood pressure.

Osmoreceptors

Sensory receptors located in the hypothalamus that detect changes in blood osmolality and influence thirst and ADH secretion.

Renin-Angiotensin Hormonal System

A hormone system that regulates blood pressure and fluid balance through sodium reabsorption and thirst stimulation.

Diabetes Insipidus

A condition characterized by excretion of large amounts of hypotonic urine due to insufficient ADH secretion.

Buffer

A solution that resists changes in acidity or alkalinity (pH) upon the addition of small amounts of acids or bases.

Bicarbonate-Carbonic Acid Buffer System

The major buffering system in plasma, critical for maintaining pH balance.

Bohr Effect

The physiological phenomenon where lower pH and higher CO2 levels decrease hemoglobin's affinity for oxygen, promoting oxygen release.

2,3-Bisphosphoglycerate (BPG)

A molecule that regulates hemoglobin's oxygen binding, stabilizing the T state and promoting oxygen release, particularly in low oxygen conditions.

Aldosterone

A hormone that promotes sodium reabsorption and potassium secretion in the kidneys, affecting fluid balance.

Ammoniagenesis

The process in which the kidneys produce ammonia from amino acids to assist in the excretion of hydrogen ions, regulating acid-base balance.