Homeostasis Cheat Sheet
Homeostasis is the body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes. It involves complex feedback mechanisms regulated by the nervous and endocrine systems.
Core Principles
- Homeostasis maintains a stable internal environment.
- Nervous system provides rapid, electrical responses.
- Endocrine system provides slow, chemical responses.
- Sensors detect stimuli.
- Integrators process signals.
- Effectors carry out responses.
- Negative feedback is the primary homeostatic mechanism.
- Positive feedback amplifies changes.
- Thermoregulation controls body temperature.
- Osmoregulation manages water and solute balance.
- Excretion removes metabolic waste.
Key Terms
- Homeostasis: The maintenance of a stable internal environment.
- Nervous System: Rapid response to stimuli via electrical signals.
- Endocrine System: Long-term response using chemical signals (hormones).
- Sensor: Detects environmental stimulus.
- Integrator: Receives and processes signals.
- Effector: Cells respond to regulatory signals.
- Negative Feedback: Produces the opposite effect of the change to return to homeostasis.
- Positive Feedback: Increases the effects of change, moving away from homeostasis.
- Thermoregulation: Regulation of body temperature.
- Osmoregulation: Regulation of osmotic pressure and water/solute content.
- Excretion: Removal of metabolic waste products.
- Ammonia: Toxic nitrogenous waste from protein breakdown.
- Urea: Less toxic product of ammonia and CO2, formed in the liver.
- Uric Acid: Non-toxic, insoluble waste from nucleic acid breakdown.
Timeline
- 2nd June, 2019: Cheat Sheet Published
- 2nd June, 2019: Cheat Sheet Last Updated