Homeostasis and Homeodynamism

Dr Fred Waichere Muriithi

V60/38681/2020
Moderated By Dr. M. F. Din
Objectives

 Describe Life and its organization

 Characteristics of living organisms
 Origin of life
 Levels of structural organization and interrelationships
 Introduction to homeostasis
 Introduction to homeodynamism
Definition of life

 Life may be defined as a characteristic that distinguishes physical entities that have biological processes such
as signaling and self sustaining processes, from those that do not, either because such functions have ceased
(death), or because they never had such functions (inanimate).
 There are various forms of life including :
 Plants
 Animals
 Fungi
 Protists eukaryotic cells e.g Amoebozoa
 Archaea prokaryotic cells e.g extremophiles
 Bacteria
Characteristic of living organisms

 They possess cellular organization i.e. are made up of cells or a cell.

 They reproduce either sexually or asexually.
 They have metabolic processes.
 They have homeostatic processes.
 Heredity.
 They respond to stimuli (sensitivity).
 They grow and develop.
 They have adaptation through development.
Origin of life

Several theories attempt to explain the origin of life and include:

 Theory of special creation
 Theory of spontaneous generation
 Theory of biogenesis
 Theory of biochemical evolution
 Theory of panspermia
 Deep sea hydrothermal vent theory
Theory of Biochemical evolution

 This theory postulates that life originated through abiogenesis from a ‘prebiotic soup’ that was formed of
Ammonia, nitrogen, hydrogen ,water vapor, methane and hydrogen sulphide that were abundant in the
earth’s primitive atmosphere.
 The earth’s atmosphere was reducing in the early years and contained little free oxygen and hence favored
formation of organic compounds.
 These molecules were then assembled into polymers including amino acids and fatty acids after reaction
with heat from UV radiation, lightning strikes, magma and volcanic eruptions.
 This was demonstrated in-vitro by Miller and Urey experiment 1953, 1959.
 RNA is thought to have been formed from these initial amino acids and studies have shown that it could
have supported self-replicating systems since it possess enzymatic properties. This led to the ‘RNA world’ in
which RNA held genetic information and supported replication.
Theory of Biochemical evolution

Miller & Urey Experiment

Theory of Biochemical evolution continued

 The primordial amino acids combined with other organic compounds

forming coacervates that were simple vesicles bound by a single lipid
membrane.
 These coacervates could absorb material and grow and could divide into
smaller coacervate molecules.
 Protobionts may have arisen from coacervates and coacervates that
contained RNA within their membrane may have started synthesizing
protein molecules.
Biochemical evolution continued

 RNA may have evolved through Darwinian evolution process to RNPep (Ribonucleopeptides), RNP
(Ribonucleoproteins) that form modern day ribosomes and finally forming DNA that now became the holder
of genetic information and proteins and RNP became primary catalysts.
 This led to prokaryotic life around 2.5 billion years ago and formation of chlorophyll in bacteria that
allowed oxygen photosynthesis.
 The increase in oxygen led to the breakdown of the ‘prebiotic soup’ through oxidation resulting in formation
of Carbon-dioxide and oxidized sediments and contributed to the formation of ozone layer.
 Eukaryotic cells may have formed from endosymbiosis process where once free living prokaryotes where
engulfed by larger prokaryotes and survived to evolve to present day organelles e.g. mitochondria and
Chloroplasts.
Time cycle of life evolution
Structural organization of the human body

These include:
• The chemical level
• Cellular level
• Tissue level
• Organ level
• Body systems
Structural organization of the human body

 The chemical level: the human body is a combination of specific atoms. The most common atoms include
oxygen, carbon, hydrogen and nitrogen. These atoms combine to form proteins, carbohydrates, fats and
nucleic acids.

 The cellular level : the cell is the fundamental unit of both structure and function in a living organism in
which all the chemical molecules are arranged to form a functional component.
Structural organization of the human body

 The Tissue level: These are groups of cells of

similar specialization.

 The Organ level: these consist of two or more

primary tissues organized together to perform a
particular function or functions. E.g. the
stomach
Structural organization of the human body

 The body system level: groups of

organs are further organized into
body systems performing related
function/s.
The body organ level continued
Structural organization of the human body

 The organism level: the body systems are packed together into a functional whole body. Each body system
is dependent on the proper function of the other systems.
Inter-relation of Body systems

 There is great interrelation between the body

systems in that many complex body functions
depend on the interplay among the systems.
 For example, control of blood pressure
depends on the coordinated response of the
circulatory, urinary, nervous and endocrine
systems.
Internal environment of human body

 Body fluids are divided into intracellular fluid and extracellular

fluid.
 All cells bathed in extracellular fluid (ECF).
 This is divided into interstitial fluid and blood plasm.
 ECF accounts for 20% of the total body weight. 5% Plasma,
15% interstitial fluid.
 ECF may be referred to as the internal environment of the body
as all cells are intimately associated with it.
Physiological range of normalcy

 The various components of the internal

environment are maintained within
normal ranges to ensure optimal cell
function.
 A ‘Set Point’ is the physiological value
around which the normal range
fluctuates.
Homeostasis and Homeodynamism

 Homeostasis is the maintenance of a nearly

constant condition/state in the internal
environment of the body.
 Body systems maintain homeostasis and in-
turn homeostasis maintains the cells that
constitute these body systems.
Homeostasis and Homeodynamism

 Homeodynamism is a term that refers to the fact that homeostatically regulated factors in the body are
marked by continuous change with small fluctuations and at times chaotic behavior.
 Hence the maintenance of internal environment is not a rigid/fixed state but a dynamic process.
References

 Human Physiology, From cells to systems By Lauralee Sherwood

 Ganong’s Review of Medical Physiology 23rd edition
 A Ribonucleopeptide world at the origin of life, Nizar Y. Saad; 2017
Thank you all.