HOMEOSTASIS

Dr. Shabnam Sagar

Lecturer

School of Health & Social Sciences

University of Essex
 A im s & O b je c tiv e s o fth e s e s s io n

Ø
Structural Organisation of
Human Body
ØPrinciples of Homeostasis
- To understand body systems, cell
and its composition
- To understand homeostasis,
how it is maintained, control of
homeostasis
- Homeostasis central systems
- Feedback systems
- Body functions regulated by
homeostasis (Thermoregulation,
Osmoregulation, Chemical regulation)
 Levels of Organization

Chemical

Cellular

Tissue

Organs

System Level

Organismic Level
Body Systems

Groups of organs that

perform related functions and
interact to accomplish a
common activity essential to
survival of the whole body

Do not act in isolation from

one another. Human body has
11 systems
John has decided to save energy by
staying in bed all day.
How much of his energy do you think this
will save?

Surprisingly, the answer is only about 30%.

The other 70% keeps his body temperature at

37 °C, and the solutions around his cells at
just the right concentration
What is homeostasis?
• The body uses so much energy, even during sleep,
because it must maintain a constant internal
environment.
• Homeostasis allows the body’s cells to work at their
optimum.
• It is defined as maintenance of a relatively stable
internal environment.
• Does not mean that composition, temperature, and
other characteristics are absolutely unchanging.
• Homeostasis is essential for survival and function of
all cells.
• Each cell contributes to maintenance of a relatively
stable internal environment
Human Cell
 Basic Cell Functions

 Sensing and responding to changes

in surrounding environment

 Control exchange of materials

between cell and its surrounding
environment

 Obtain nutrients and oxygen from

surrounding environment

 Eliminate carbon dioxide and other

wastes to surrounding environment

 Perform chemical reactions that

provide energy for the cell

 Synthesize needed cellular

components
Homeostasis is
also called
dynamic
equilibrium

Conditions do
fl uctuate, but
within an
acceptable range
Two systems that maintain homeostasis are:
Nervous system & Endocrine system
 Nervous system - Controls and
coordinates bodily activities that require
rapid responses. Detects and initiates
reactions to changes in external
environment
Maintenance of
Endocrine system- Secreting glands of
Homeostasis endocrine regulate activities that require
duration rather than speed. Controls
concentration of nutrients and, by
adjusting kidney function, controls internal
environment’s volume and electrolyte
composition
Homeostasis Factors regulated include

• Concentration of nutrient molecules

• Concentration of water, salt, and other

electrolytes

• Concentration of waste products

• Concentration of O2 = 100mmHg and CO2

= 40 mmHg

• pH = 7.35

• Blood volume 4-6 l

• Blood pressure 120/80

• Temperature = 37 degrees C

Homeostatic Control
Systems
Control systems are grouped
into two classes
Intrinsic controls
Local controls that are
inherent in an organ
Extrinsic controls
Regulatory mechanisms
initiated outside an organ
Homeostasis is continually being disrupted by
External stimuli
heat, cold, lack of oxygen, pathogens, toxins
Internal stimuli
• Body temperature
• Blood pressure
• Concentration of water, glucose, salts, oxygen,
etc.
• Physical and psychological distresses
• Disruptions can be mild to severe
• If homeostasis is not maintained, death may
result
Feedforward - term used for

responses made in anticipation of a

change Feedback loops

Negative feedback- most feedback

Feedback - refers to responses
systems in the body are negative used for
made after change has been
conditions that need frequent adjustment
detected

Types of feedback systems Positive feedback

- Negative
loop original stimulus intensifi ed seen
- Positive
during normal childbirth
Negative feed back loop consists of: Receptor
Negative
- structures that monitor a controlled
condition and detect changes feedback
Control centre - determines next action loop
Eff ector receives directions from the
control centre produces a response that
restores the controlled condition

E.g., Body temperature increases  Skin

blood vessels dilate  Body temperature
decreases
The response triggered by changing
conditions serves to move the variable even Positive
further away from its steady state
feedback
E.g., uterine contractions are stimulated by loop
oxytocin  baby moves towards cervix 
more oxytocin is released

More stretch, more hormone, more contraction

etc. Cycle ends with birth of the baby & decrease
in stretch
Body functions
Thermoregulation
regulated by
homeostasis
Osmoregulation

Chemical Regulation
 Thermoregulation
E nv i r o n m e n t a l t e m p e ra t u r e i s c o n s t a n t l y c h a n g i n g . O n e m i n u t e i t
c a n b e ve r y h o t , t h e n e x t ve r y c o l d .

D e s p i t e t h i s , t h e b o d y m u s t b e k e p t a t a c o n s t a n t t e m p e ra t u r e o f
3 7 ° C . W hy ?

T h i s i s t h e o p t i m u m t e m p e ra t u r e f o r t h e b o d y ’s e n z y m e s .

E ve n slight changes in body t e m p e ra t u r e can h a ve a life-

t h r e a t e n i n g e ff e c t o n h e a l t h . I f b o d y t e m p e ra t u r e f a l l s t o o l o w,
r e a c t i o n s b e c o m e t o o s l o w fo r c e l l s t o s u r v i v e : t o o h i g h , a n d t h e
b o d y ’s e n z y m e s a r e a t r i s k o f d e n a t u r i n g .

T h e t h e r m o r e g u l a t o r y c e n t r e i n t h e b ra i n i s c a l l e d t h e
hy p o t h a l a m u s .
Body temperature is monitored and
controlled by temperature receptors in the
skin and brain.

These receptors detect changes in the

temperature of blood fl owing through those
areas.

If body temperature deviates from 37 °C,

the hypothalamus and skin receptors send
out electrical signals that trigger actions or
behaviours that increase or decrease heat
loss.
 What is core body temperature?

The vital organs located deep within the body,

such as the heart, liver and kidneys, are
maintained at 37 °C. This is the core body
temperature.
Core temperature is maintained by balancing
heat gain and heat loss.
How can heat be gained?
- movement and exercise
- Shivering
- vasoconstriction
F i n d i n g t h e ri g h t b a l a n c e !
- wearing extra clothing.
Gaining and losing heat are
How can heat be lost?
vital processes in maintaining
- Sweating
constant body temperature
- vasodilation
- removing extra clothing.
MAINTAINING WATER
BALANCE IN BODY :

OSMOREGULATION
Osmoregulation is the process of maintenance
of salt and water balance (osmotic balance)
across membranes within the body's fl uids ,
which are composed of water, plus electrolytes
and non-electrolytes. An electrolyte is a solute
that dissociates into ions when dissolved in water.
W h y i s w a t e r i m p o rt a n t ?
T h e h u m a n b o d y i s a b o u t 6 0 - 7 0 % w a t e r.

Wa t e r m o l e c u l e s a n d i o n s c o n s t a n t l y m o v e i n a n d o u t o f c e l l s
and are essential for all life processes.

Dehydration (loss of too much water from the body) damages

cells.

How is water gained and lost?

Wa t e r i s p r o d u c e d b y t h e b o d y d u r i n g r e s p i r a t i o n a n d a b s o r b e d
from food and drink.

Wa t e r i s l o s t f r o m t h e b o d y i n e x h a l e d a i r, s w e a t , u r i n e a n d
feces.
Dehydration and its causes

Just a 1% decrease in body weight due to water loss is

enough to cause mild dehydration.

Mild dehydration can cause dizziness, a dr y mout h and

concentrated urine. Severe dehydration can cause
death.

- heavy sweating If the body fl uids

- low water intake become too

- eating salty food

concentrated or
diluted, it can
- breathing dr y air
damage the body
- caff eine and alcohol
cells.
- diarrhoea.
Glucoregulation
What is blood glucose?
Glucose is a type of sugar used by the body to provide
energy.
Sometimes there is too much glucose in the blood, and
sometimes there is not enough.

What affects the level of blood glucose?

- Eating causes blood glucose levels to rise.

- Vigorous exercise causes blood glucose levels to fall.
 Between meals, blood glucose levels are
topped up from stored deposits in the liver
and muscles.

After a meal, blood glucose rises but

quickly returns to normal. Where does the
excess go? Why not leave it in the blood?
Glucoregulation
Excess glucose makes the blood plasma
and tissue fluid around cells too
concentrated.
This can severely damage cells, for
example, causing crenation in red blood
cells.
However, low blood sugar levels can be
equally as dangerous, as it can make cells
swell up and burst. This is called lysis.
The pancreas and blood glucose
Controlling
Blood glucose levels are monitored and
controlled by the pancreas.
blood
The pancreas produces and releases diff erent glucose
hormones depending on the blood glucose
level.

Insulin is released when blood glucose levels

pancreas
are high – the liver stores excess glucose as
glycogen.

Glucagon is released when blood glucose levels

are low – the liver converts stored glycogen
into glucose and releases it into the blood.
Homeostasis is any self-
regulating process by which
an organism tends to
maintain stability while
adjusting to conditions that
are best for its survival. If
homeostasis is successful,
life continues; if it's
unsuccessful, it results in a
disaster or death of the
organism .
ADH – The ho rmo ne rel ea sed fro m t he p i t ui t ar y g l and
t hat ac t s o n k i d ne y s and b l o o d vessel s to mai nt ai n t he
b o d y ’s water b al anc e .

dehydration – The l o ss o f to o muc h wa ter fro m t he

body.

homeostasis – The c o nst ant reg ul at i o n o f t he b o d y ' s Glossary

i nternal e nv i ro nme nt .

hyper thermia – Da ng ero usl y hi g h b o d y temp erat ure.

hypothalamus – The p a r t o f t he b rai n t ha t hel p s to

reg ul a te t he b o d y ' s i nternal env iro nment .

hypothermia – Da ng ero usl y l o w b o d y temp erat ure.

glucose – T he mai n so urc e o f energ y fo r t he b o d y.

glucoregulation – The homeostatic control of
the body ’s blood sugar level.

glycogen – A storage form of glucose, found

in the liver and muscles.

insulin – A hormone involved in the control of Glossary

blood sugar, and which is reduced or absent in
people with diabetes.

kidney – The bean-shaped organ that fi lters

the blood and produces urine.

negative feedback – A stabilizing mechanism

that slows down or reverses a stimulus.
osmoregulation – The homeostatic control of
the body ’s water and ion balance.

pancreas – The organ that secretes the

hormone insulin.

thermoregulation – The homeostatic control

Glossary
of the body ’s temperature.

vasoconstriction – The narrowing of the

blood vessels in the skin in order to reduce heat
loss.

vasodilation – The widening of the blood

vessels in the skin in order to increase heat loss.
* Biology Online (27 October 2019). "Homeostasis"
. Biology Online . Retrieved 27 October 2019.

* Stuar t, I.R. (2011). Human physiology (Twelf th ed.).

New York: McGraw-Hill. p. 667.

* Clausen, M. J.; Poulsen, H. (2013). "Chapter 3

Sodium /Potassium homeostasis, Chapter 5 Calcium
homeostasis, Chapter 6 Manganese homeostasis". In
Banci, Lucia (ed.). Metallomics and the Cell . Metal Ions
in Life Sciences. Springer. pp. 41–67.

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