Anatomy and Physiology - Homeostasis and Regulation

Homeostasis

Stability of the internal environment and the mechanisms that maintain the stability.

Receptor

Sensory organ that receives the stimulus

Stimulus

An action that evokes a response

Effector

An organ that does the response

Response

The effect, caused by homeostasis.

Feedback Inhibition

Output of process is used as an input to control the behavior of the overall process itself, usually leading to inhibition of the process.

Passive Transport

Requires NO energy, Movement of molecules from high to low concentration, Moves with the concentration gradient

Active Transport

Energy-requiring process that moves material across a cell membrane against a concentration difference

Hyper-tonic Solution

Water is lower than the cells cytoplasm; cell shrivels

Hypotonic solution

Water is higher than the cells cytoplasm; Cell Swells

Isotonic solution

Water is identical to cells cytoplasm; cell stays the same

Ligand

Molecules that bind to other molecules (receptor proteins) for signaling purposes.

Signal Transduction

A sequence of events initiated by a signal that leads to a cellular response.

Pathway

centers and tracts that connect the CNS with body organs and systems

Inhibitor

Can block the normal ligand to prevent communication (ex. Caffeine.)

Transduction

conversion of one form of energy into another. In sensation, the transforming of stimulus energies, such as sights, sounds, and smells, into neural impulses our brains can interpret.

Phosphorylation

The addition of phosphate groups by kinases

Dephosphorylation

The removal of phosphate groups by phosphates

Second Messanger

A small molecule that serves as an intermediate between the receptor and the cascade of responses after.