Homeostasis in Organisms

These flashcards cover key concepts related to homeostasis and its mechanisms, important for understanding organismal regulation during your studies.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a constant internal environment despite changes in the external environment.

Stimulus-Response Model

The pathway from a stimulus or change to the response or action taken by a cell or organism.

Negative Feedback Loop

A process that regulates a variable within an organism, whereby the last step in the process (response) reduces the initial stimulus and is self-limiting.

Positive Feedback Loop

A process that controls a variable within an organism, whereby the last step in the process causes the action to be repeated.

Osmoregulation

The process of maintaining water balance in the body.

Insulin

A hormone produced by the pancreas that lowers blood glucose levels by facilitating the uptake of glucose by cells.

Glucagon

A hormone produced by the pancreas that raises blood glucose levels by promoting the conversion of glycogen to glucose.

Hypoglycaemia

A condition characterized by abnormally low blood glucose levels.

Hyperthyroidism

A condition caused by excessive production of thyroid hormones, leading to symptoms like anxiety and weight loss.

Receptor

Specialized proteins or glycoproteins in the cytosol or on the plasma membrane that receive a stimulus.

Effector

The part of the body that responds to a stimulus.

Response

A change in an organism resulting from the detection of a stimulus.

Thermoreceptor

Sensory receptors that detect changes in body temperature.

ADH (Antidiuretic Hormone)

A hormone that helps to regulate water balance by increasing water reabsorption in the kidneys.

Type 1 Diabetes

An autoimmune disease in which the immune system destroys insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas.

Graves' Disease

An autoimmune disorder that leads to hyperthyroidism by causing overproduction of thyroid hormones.