Cellular Regulation and Homeostasis Practice Flashcards

A set of vocabulary flashcards covering the principles of cellular regulation, homeostasis, adaptive cellular changes, and the hormonal mechanisms behind fluid and electrolyte balance.

Homeostasis

The body's way of maintaining internal conditions steady, regardless of what is happening on the outside.

Cellular Regulation

The system that ensures a cell grows, divides, repairs damage, and responds to threats to keep the cell factory running smoothly.

Receptors

Structures on the cell that act like "doors" which answer when chemical messengers like insulin knock, telling the cell how to respond.

Gene Expression

The process where a cell opens its DNA and reads a particular gene to perform a specific action, such as producing a protein.

Hormones

Chemical messengers like insulin, thyroid hormone, or cortisol that are sent to specific cells with instructions to regulate body functions.

Feedback Loop

A full circle of adjustment where the body turns signals on and off to maintain a stable condition, often described as an "if-this-then-that" rulebook.

Altered Regulation

A state where cells stop following rules, such as growing when they should not or refusing to shut down, which can lead to diseases like cancer.

Hypoxia

A condition where cells do not receive enough oxygen.

Hypertrophy

A cellular adaptation where cells grow bigger in response to stress or pressure.

Hyperplasia

A cellular adaptation where cells make more copies of themselves.

Metaplasia

A cellular adaptation where cells change their shape or job.

Atrophy

A cellular adaptation where cells shrink down to save energy.

Electrolytes

Minerals such as sodium ($Na^+$), potassium ($K^+$), and calcium ($Ca^{2+}$) that help the heart beat, muscles contract, and the brain send signals.

Intracellular Fluid

The fluid that lives inside the body's cells.

Extracellular Fluid

Fluid located outside the cells, which includes plasma and interstitial fluid.

Potassium ($K^+$)

The primary electrolyte mostly found inside cells.

Sodium ($Na^+$) and Calcium ($Ca^{2+}$)

Key electrolytes found outside cells that help control fluid balance, nerve signaling, and muscle contraction.

Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)

Also known as arginine vasopressin, it acts as the body's "water saver" by signaling the kidneys to conserve and recycle water.

Aldosterone

The "salt manager" hormone released from the adrenal glands that tells the kidneys to hold onto sodium, causing water to follow.

Atrial Natriuretic Peptide (ANP)

The "pressure relief valve" hormone that helps the body eliminate excess sodium and water to lower blood pressure.

Baroreceptors

Pressure sensors located in major blood vessels that monitor blood pressure and signal for hormonal responses when it drops.

Osmoreceptors

Sensors in the brain that act as salt detectors, alerting the brain to release ADH if blood becomes too salty.

Osmolarity

The concentration of substances in the blood.

Vasoconstriction

The narrowing of blood vessels caused by the contraction of smooth muscle, which helps raise blood pressure.

Addison's Disease

A condition where the body cannot produce enough aldosterone, causing sodium and water loss and low blood pressure.

SIADH

A condition where the body produces excessive ADH, causing the person to hold onto too much water and dangerously dilute their sodium levels.

ATP

The body's energy currency, powered by mitochondria, which is used to transport ions and maintain cellular homeostasis.