Omar Bin Al-Khattab Sec.

School
Biology Dept.

Physiological regulation
in mammals

Grade – 12 foundation

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Omar Bin Al-Khattab Sec. School
Biology Dept.

Physiological regulation in mammals

Responding to environmental stimuli

Living things exist in a changing environment. Some changes are favorable and
advantageous to the organism, others are unfavorable or harmful, and many are of little
significance.
The ability of living things to detect changes and make appropriate responses is essential to
their survival. This ability to detect change and to respond is referred to as sensitivity. Sensitivity
is one of the characteristics of all living things.

1. Define stimulus.

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2. List some of the environmental stimuli to which mammals respond?

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3. What is the function of body receptors?

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4. What are the main sense organs in the body?

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5. What is the importance of responding to the environmental stimuli?

____________________________________________________________________________

_______

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 ____________________________________________________________________________

_______

6. Give examples of how we/mammals increase the chances of survival by

responding to these stimuli.

 ______________________________________________________________.

 ______________________________________________________________.

 ______________________________________________________________.

 ______________________________________________________________.

 ______________________________________________________________.

Omar Bin Al-Khattab Sec. School

Biology Dept.

Physiological regulation in mammals

Homeostasis

Humans, like all mammals, maintain many features of their internal environment at almost
constant levels. For example, we regulate our internal temperature, the concentration of glucose
in the blood and tissue fluid, and the amount of water in the blood. This regulation is called
homeostasis. Homeostasis means ‘’ staying the same ‘’.
Homeostasis provides the cells within the body with a relatively constant environment, and
this helps them to work efficiently, no matter what is going on outside the body.

1. Define homeostasis.
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2. What is the internal environment of the body?
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3. Why maintaining the internal environment within narrow limits is so
important to mammals?
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4. Why the body’s internal environment is likely to change?
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5. What are some internal body factors that are likely to change?
a. _______________________________
b. _______________________________
c. _______________________________
d. _______________________________
e. _______________________________

6. Homeostasis involves maintaining a dynamic equilibrium.

What does that mean? ____________________________________
______________________________________________________
______________________________________________________

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7. What are the components of any homeostatic mechanism? What is the
function of each component?
 ____________________ :
___________________________________________________.
 ____________________ :
___________________________________________________.
 ____________________ :
___________________________________________________.

Stimulus Receptor Coordinator Effector

Negative feed-
Back

8. What is meant by negative feed-back?

____________________________________________________________________________
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Omar Bin Al-Khattab Sec. School

Biology Dept.

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 Physiological regulation in mammals
Thermoregulation

Temperature affects the rate of chemical reactions, including the metabolic reactions. Low
temperature slows down reactions, while the high temperature speeds them up. The very high
temperatures denature enzymes, and therefore stop metabolic reaction.
The activity of the animal is affected by the metabolic rate. An animal with very low body
temperature has a very low metabolic rate and will be unable to move around quickly.

1. .Define thermoregulation.
____________________________________________________________________________
_______
2. What is the normal core body temperature of Human?
_____________________________________.
3. What are the different methods of gaining and losing of heat energy?

4. Compare between exothermic and endothermic animals.

Exothermic Endothermic

…………………………………………… …………………………………………

……….. …………..

…………………………………………… …………………………………………

……….. …………..

…………………………………………… …………………………………………

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 ……….. …………..

…………………………………………… …………………………………………

……….. …………..

…………………………………………… …………………………………………

……….. …………..

5. The following diagram shows how does the temperature of the body
changes in ectothermic and endothermic animals as the external
environmental temperature changes.

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6. Explain how does the lizard regulates their body temperature.
env. temp

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 6 am 12 noon 6 pm time

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7. Draw a cross section in the skin. Label its main parts.

8. Explain why the skin considered as the most important part in the heat
regulation.
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9. What is hypothalamus?
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_______

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10.How does the hypothalamus detect changes in the body temperature?
____________________________________________________________________________
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11. Explain how does each of the following components helps in

thermoregulation of the body :

 Capillaries

 Sweat gland :

___________________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________________________

_______

 Erector muscles :

________________________________________________________________

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_______

12.How does the thermoregulation occur at the following conditions :

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 Overheating Overcooling
__________________________________________ ___________________________________________
Blood
_____ ____
vessels
__________________________________________ ____________________________________________

_____ ___

__________________________________________ ____________________________________________
Sweat
_____ ___
gland
__________________________________________ ____________________________________________

_____ ___

__________________________________________ ____________________________________________
Erector
_____ ___
muscle
__________________________________________ ____________________________________________

_____ ___
Other
__________________________________________ ____________________________________________
mechanis
_____ ___
ms
__________________________________________ ____________________________________________

_____ ___

13.By giving examples, explain how do behavioral adaptations on an organism

play a part in thermoregulation.
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_______
_________________________________________________________________________
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 _________________________________________________________________________
_______
_________________________________________________________________________
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14.How does the involuntary shivering occur?
____________________________________________________________________________
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______________
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15.What is the relationship between body temperature and the metabolic
rate?
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______________
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16.What is the role of TRH and TSH in regulation of metabolism rate and body
temperature?
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17.Why do individuals become less active in warm
conditions?

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 ____________________________________________________________________________
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18.What is the effect of animal size in heat loss.
____________________________________________________________________________
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19.What is the problem facing small babies in heat balance?
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______________
Omar Bin Al-Khattab Sec. School
Biology Dept.

Physiological regulation in mammals

Menstrual cycle

1. Define the following terms:

 Menstrual cycle :
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 Menstruation :
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 Endometrium :
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 Implantation :
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 Ovulation :
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 Corpus luteum :
______________________________________________________________________

2. What is the Importance of menstrual cycle.

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 1. ________________________________________________________.
2. ________________________________________________________.
3. Fill in the following table :
Hormune Site of production Function
FSH
Lh
Oestroge
n
Progeste
rone

4. What happens to the corpus luteum in the case if fertilization

occurs and in the case of no fertilization. What is the effect of this in
the uterus and pituitary gland.
If fertilization occur If no fertilization

Corpus luteum
Effect on the
uterus
Effect on the
pituitary gland

Stages of menstrual cycle

1. Pituitary glad secretes FSH which stimulate the ovary to develop Graafian follicle.

2. Graafian follicle starts to secrete Oestrogen which has two effects, in the following parts :

a. Endometrium : cause repair and thickening.

b. Pituitary : inhibit production of FSH and cause it to release LH.

3. LH trigger ovulation at day 14 of the cycle which is the bursting of follicle and release egg.

4. The remaining part of follicle forms corpus luteum which secrete progesterone.

5. Progesteron and oestrogen inhibit production of FHS and LH and stimulate growth and blood

supply of endometrium.
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6. If pregnancy occur : progesterone and oestrogen level remain high so endometrium stays

intact and FSH production is stell inhibited.

7. If there is no pregnancy : corpus luteum degenerate and level of oestrogen and progesterone

fall endometrium breaks down, resulting in menstruation. FHS starts to secreted again.

1. What is the HCG hormone? What is it is function?

____________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________
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____________________________________________________________________________
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2. How does a home pregnancy test works.
____________________________________________________________________________
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 ____________________________________________________________________________
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3. List some of the contraceptive methods.
Method How does it work Example Advantages Disadvantage
s

Sterilizatio
n

prevention
of
ovulation

barriers

natural
methods

Omar Bin Al-Khattab Sec. School

Biology Dept.

Physiological regulation in mammals

Coordinating system of the body

1. What are the two coordinating systems inside the human body?

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 ____________________________________________________________________________

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2. List some similarities between the two systems.

 _________________________________________________________________________

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 _________________________________________________________________________

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 _________________________________________________________________________

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______________

 _________________________________________________________________________

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3. Explain the differences between the two systems.

Nervous system Hormonal system
Nature of the

message
Speed of

conduction
Nature of

conduction
Speed of response

produced
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 Responses
Connection to

effector

 both involve the transmission of messages that are originated by stimuli

and which produce responses;
 both involve chemical secretion (neurotransmitters or hormones);
 the hormone adrenaline is almost identical to the neurotransmitter
substance noradrenaline from the sympathetic nervous system so has
similar effects on the body’s organs;
 there is close cooperation between them with the hypothalamus acting
to manage many of the hormone secretions of the pituitary gland.
Nervous system Hormonal system
Nature of the an action potential along a a chemical messenger
message nerve fiber conveyed through the
circulatory system
Speed of Fast , pulses Slow
conduction
Nature of Pulses Steady trickle
conduction
Speed of response Fast Slow
produced
Responses Localized , short-lived Widespread , long-term
Connection to By nerves By the blood stream
effector

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