CHAPTER 11

HOMEOSTASIS

DEFINITION OF
HOMEOSTASIS

Process involved in maintaining constant physical and chemical

factors in the internal environment of an organism in a constant
optimum condition to ensure the survival of cells.

Often involves negative feedback mechanism

Homeostasis involves keeping the internal

environment within set ranges.

IMPORTANCE OF HOMEOSTASIS
Life of organism become less dependant on
the external environment
Ensure optimum internal environment (pH,
temperature, salt concentration) for cell to
function, the organism to survive and
reproduce efficiently
Enables biological system to function
efficiently and smoothly with minimum
wastage of energy
Organisms can live in wider range of habitats
Organisms can increase or decrease its
metabolic rate suit to its requirement

INTERNAL FACTORS THAT REGULATES

HOMEOSTATIC MECHANISM

HOMEOSTATIC CONTROL
SYSTEM IN MAMMALS
1. Stimulus / : produce change in level of an internal
factors (variables)
2. Receptor detect changes
3. Input : info sent along AFFERENT pathway to control
center (brain)
4. Output : information sent along EFFERENT pathwat
to effectors
5. Response of effector feed back to reduce the effect of
original stimulus and returns the variable to
homeostatic level

HOMEOSTATIC CONTROL
SYSTEM IN MAMMALS
pore

Control systems help maintain homeostasis

like ...
sweat
glands

A. Sensors / receptor = gather

datasenses
B. Control Center= receives
data, interprets info and
produce error signal sends
messages out brain
C. Communication System=
delivers messages to target
organs, tissues
PNS (e.g. motor neurons)
D. Targets/ efector = respond
to change.
muscles, glands (release

hair
follicle
muscle

goose
bump

 Homeostatic mechanism are dynamic system

which act to produce a steady state dynamic
equlibrium

ThermoreguLATION
Process which animals maintain an internal
temperature within a tolerable range
- from -40C in artic and 50C in desert region
Internal metabolism and external environment
are the source of heat for thermoregulation
Heat gained = Heat lost Constant body
temperature

Heat gain and heat loss

Heat gained :
food metabolism
absorption of solar energy (radiation,)
Conduction- from warmer ground and warmer parts of
atmosphere
Heat lost :
evaporation of water sweat, exhaled air from lung
Urinating and defecating
Radiation to surrounding
Convection(transfer of heat by currents of air or
water)
Conduction (transfer of energy by collision of
molecule)

 Organism are classified based on heat source

Ectotherm : body temperature depends on
temperature of environment. Many have
behavioural startegies to regulate body
temperature
Endotherm : control their body core
temperature with set range by physiological
mechanisms.

Endoterm

Ectoterm

Metabolic rate

High

Low

Heat generation

Enough to keep body

warm

Too little to warm

body

Internal body
temperature

Stable, regardless of
external fluctuations

Determined by
environment

Three types of thermoregulation

mechanism
Behavioural
Concious action:
Altering posture,
orientation and
microclimate to
regulate body
temperature
Rabbits move into
burrow to escape
heat
Kanggaroo spread
saliva on its arms to
cool as saliva
evaporates
Dag panting to get
cool when saliva
evaporates
Huddling/curling to

Physiological

Structural/Anatomic
al

Changes occur :
Sweating

Physical feature of
organism:

Vasodilation

Fur to regulates
body temperature

Lowering heart rate

Raising of hair

Elephant has large

ears to lose heat
Camels have a very
long leg ?

Thermoregulation: The process of maintaining a

steady
body temperature under a variety of conditions.

Systems Involved:
Muscular*
Integument (skin)*
Respiratory
Circulatory
Nervous (hypothalamus in brain)
Endocrine (hormones, feedback)

Section
through skin
The sweat gland
extracts sweat from
the blood and
passes it up the duct
to the skin surface
where it evaporates

evaporation

sweat pore

epidermis

dermis
sweat duct

sweat gland

0.25 mm
Sweat gland

blood vessel

Vasodilatio
n

much heat lost

If the body temperature rises,

the blood vessels in the skin
dilate (become wider) and allow
more blood to flow near the
surface. The heat loss from the
blood through the skin helps
cool the circulating blood

Vasoconstricti
on

If the body temperature falls.

The blood vessels in the skin
constrict. Less warm blood flows
near the surface so less heat is
lost
Vasoconstriction &
dilation

little heat lost