Homeostasis
And hormones
, Learning goals:
● Chemical diversity of hormones: Consider reasons for a wide range of chemical substances being
used as signalling chemicals. Include amines, proteins, and steroids as chemical groups of
hormones.
● Localized and distant effects of signalling molecules: Contrasts can be drawn between hormones
transported by the blood system and neurotransmitters that diffuse across a synaptic gap.
● Regulation of cell signalling pathways by positive and negative feedback: Limit to an
understanding of the difference between these two forms of regulation and a brief outline of one
example of each.
● Homeostasis as maintenance of the internal environment of an organism. Variables are kept within
preset limits, despite fluctuations in the external environment. Include body temperature and blood
glucose concentration as homeostatic variables in humans.
● Negative feedback loops in homeostasis: Students should understand the reason for use of
negative rather than positive feedback control in homeostasis and also that negative feedback
returns homeostatic variables to the set point from values above and below the set point.
● Thermoregulation mechanisms in humans: Students are only required to understand the details of
thermoregulation for humans. Include shivering, sweating and hair erection.
, What is homeostasis?
The human body typically stays within certain limits for many physiological
variables.
Examples are:
Often this is achieved
- Blood pH
with the help of
- Body temperature hormones
- Blood glucose concentration
And hormones
, Learning goals:
● Chemical diversity of hormones: Consider reasons for a wide range of chemical substances being
used as signalling chemicals. Include amines, proteins, and steroids as chemical groups of
hormones.
● Localized and distant effects of signalling molecules: Contrasts can be drawn between hormones
transported by the blood system and neurotransmitters that diffuse across a synaptic gap.
● Regulation of cell signalling pathways by positive and negative feedback: Limit to an
understanding of the difference between these two forms of regulation and a brief outline of one
example of each.
● Homeostasis as maintenance of the internal environment of an organism. Variables are kept within
preset limits, despite fluctuations in the external environment. Include body temperature and blood
glucose concentration as homeostatic variables in humans.
● Negative feedback loops in homeostasis: Students should understand the reason for use of
negative rather than positive feedback control in homeostasis and also that negative feedback
returns homeostatic variables to the set point from values above and below the set point.
● Thermoregulation mechanisms in humans: Students are only required to understand the details of
thermoregulation for humans. Include shivering, sweating and hair erection.
, What is homeostasis?
The human body typically stays within certain limits for many physiological
variables.
Examples are:
Often this is achieved
- Blood pH
with the help of
- Body temperature hormones
- Blood glucose concentration
