Homeostasis in the Human Body - Assignment Example

Homeostasis Lecturer’s Homeostasis in the human body The body’s homeostasis is the process by which the body maintains a favorable stable internal environment to be able to function appropriately. The hypothalamus located in the brain plays a great role in helping the body maintain homeostasis as it is linked to a group of neurons that form a primary link to the endocrine and nervous system. This small body part involved in many homeostasis activities such as regulating the body temperature, thirst, hunger, heart rate as well as the blood pressure. However, maintaining the constant equilibrium of body systems such as temperature requires the body to make many adjustments referred to as regulation of homeostasis. This homeostatic regulation is made up of three parts that are an effector, a control center, and a receptor. The main role of the receptor is receiving information about the required as the control center processes the information while the effector executes these commands from the control center by making changes in response (Chiras 2013, 4). In maintaining homeostasis, all the body organ systems work together harmoniously in maintain homeostasis within the body. Most systems in the body maintain homeostasis by either use of a negative or positive feedback mechanism. When the hypothalamus receives messages from the body in regards to an internal change in a system, it works to restore the system to its required normal state. The negative feedback mechanisms found when the body regulates temperature, blood pressure, and heart rate. Discussion on how the body is involved in regulating the above is discussed below (Neligan & Baranov 2013, 33). On the other hand, the positive feedback mechanism is a rare mechanism that works by causing even greater changes in the body system instead of restoring the body systems in their normal states. An example is in the release of oxytocin that intensifies contractions during birth. As the birth process takes places, the body signifies more release of the hormone intensifying contractions thus pushing the baby out. The homeostatic control mechanisms for sugar regulation, the heart rate, the breathing rate and temperature The body constantly maintains a set of temperature for its internal environment. The muscles and liver are responsible for the generation of heat within the body. When the body’s temperature is greater than that of the surrounding, the skin loses heat to its surrounding. The standard average homeostatic body temperature is approximately 98.6 F. After or during exercise the body temperature is bound to rise. However, the body will employ some mechanisms to cool itself. The process happens through hypothalamus coordination with the involved systems as body sends signals to allow blood vessels in the body to return to their normal state, body pores to become dilated, the heart and breathing rate come to normal state as sweat is produced. To body temperature regulating system works similar to that of a thermostat. As well, the body regulates glucose levels to maintain homeostasis (Waterhouse 2013, 291). The process is achieved through the pancreases secretion of insulin and glucagon hormones. An example of such a case is after taking a meal containing many sugars; there is a rise in the body’s glucose concentration. Thus, the body releases insulin hormone stimulating glucose absorption to maintain the normal levels. After an activity, the levels of glucose in the body reduce thus the body stimulates the release of stored glucose levels in an effort of maintain the normal glucose levels in the body (Chiras 2013, 12). The brain portion that is responsible for controlling the heart rate is the medulla. It transmits nerve impulses and chemical messages through its pyramids to ensure that the body remains at homeostasis. During times of high activity such as exercise, the body messages sends messages to the medulla that causes the release of two hormones norepinephrine and epinephrine that travel through the brain stem to the heart stimulating electric impulses in the heart and cause the body’s heart muscles to contract faster increasing the heart rate to meet the body’s oxygen demands. After the stoppage of the activity, the muscles send messages to the medulla that in turn causes acetylcholine release that slows down contractions reducing the heart rate as body’s oxygen demands are reduced. As well, during exercises the oxygen level in the body decrease and carbon dioxide levels increase. The respiratory control center senses the changes causing an increase in the heart and breathing rate to make up the difference to maintain homeostasis (Ainslie & Duffin 2009, 1474). The structure and functions of the urinary system The kidney is an essential structure that is involved in maintaining homeostasis. The major role of the urinary system is the maintenance of a proper balance of salts, water and body fluid acids through removing excess fluids from the body and reabsorbing water as required by the body as well as always-filtering blood to remove waste then converting the waste and excess body fluids into urine. The urinary system is composed of ureters, two bean-shaped kidneys, urethra and the urinary bladder. The urinary bladder, urethra, and ureters from the urinary tract that plays a role in draining urine from the kidneys and release it during micturition (Coad & Dunstall 2011, 28). Moreover, besides eliminating and filtering wastes other functions include maintaining homeostasis of ions, blood pressure, osmolality and body’s PH levels by excreting excess hydrogen ions into urine for elimination. The urinary system is composed of two bean-shaped kidneys. Their major function is removing waste substances from the body in the form of urine, keeping a stable salt balance, production of erythropoietin among other functions. The kidneys have nephrons that play a role in removing urea from the blood. Each nephron has a ball of capillaries referred to as the glomerulus with a small tube called the renal tubule. As urea in combination with water and other substances pass through the nephrons and down the renal tubules, urine is formed. The ureters are two, and their main function is carrying the formed urine from the kidneys to the bladder. The muscles around the ureter play a primary function of forcing the urine down the bladder to prevent backing up of urine that can result in an infection. The bladder plays a role in storing the urine and its walls relax and expand in storing and emptying away the urine. The urethra that is the last part of the system allows the urine to pass outside the body. Two sphincter muscles prevent urine from leaking. They do so by closing tightly like a rubber band around the bladder opening (Coad & Dunstall 2011, 29). The process of excretion and its importance The body is involved in the uptake of nutrients from the food consumed and its converts the nutrients into energy. However, after taking up all the required food components that the body needs, waste products are left behind in the blood. Thus, the kidney and the urinary system play an essential role in eliminating the formed waste called urea and keeping other ions such as sodium and potassium in balance. The production of urea in the body happens when food containing proteins such as meat are broken down in the body. The byproduct of protein breakdown is carried in the body’s bloodstream to the kidney where is removed in the form of urine(Givens & Reiss 2002, 13). Excretion is a process whereby the body gets rid of waste products such as urea and carbon dioxide. The blood plays a crucial role in the transportation of these waste products to their organs of excretion. Through excretion, organisms can control the osmotic pressure and maintain a normal acid-base balance promoting homeostasis that is the constancy of the body’s internal environment. Urea is the normal waste product produced by mammals that are released in sweat and urine. If it is not removed, it can result to build up, and the consequences are fatal. Thus, excretion is essential for all the living things as a buildup of waste products from the organism’s chemical reactions is very dangerous as it can be poisonous (Jha et al. 2013, 265). An example is in acute glomerular nephritis condition whereby the kidneys abilities to maintain a balance of individual substances is altered. In the process of excretion, kidneys should filter out toxins while retaining proteins and red blood cells in the bloodstream. However, among individuals suffering from glomerular diseases the proteins and red blood cells are excreted in the urine while toxins may be retained resulting in complications such as anemia, hypertension, and uremia. Osmoregulation and its importance in the human body Osmoregulation is the process that the body regulates the osmotic pressure of the fluids to keep the homeostasis of the body water level constant. Thus, it plays a significant role in keeping the bodily fluids from being either too diluted or concentrated despite the body changes. An osmotic pressure is used in measuring the ability of water to move from one solution to another through osmosis process while the osmotic pressure is the tendency of the particular solution to diffuse from a high to a low concentrated solution across a membrane. The body needs to maintain a regulated osmotic pressure to prevent any total loss or gain of fluids or salts into the body cells (Chiras 2013, 25). In the body, two types of osmoregulation’s occur that is osmoregulators involvement and osmoconformers involvement. The osmoconformers try to match the body’s osmolality to that of the environment while osmoregulators regulate the osmolality of the body in maintaining homeostasis. The kidneys play a significant role in osmoregulation maintenance of the normal body cells internal environment through absorption or allowing excretion of water out of the body. The body’s regulation of water is carried out through the excretion of waste urine from the body (Givens & Reiss 2002, 21). Hormones involved include the aldosterone hormone, antidiuretic hormone, and angiotensin II hormone that increase the permeability of the collecting ducts in the kidney enabling easy diffusion of water for the kidneys to be able to reabsorb water. The hypothalamus is involved in controlling the water potential of blood as it detects any changes in the water potential as it passes through the brain. As a response to any changes in this potential, the hypothalamus controls an individual’s urge for thirst as well as the secretion of antidiuretic hormone to aid in the reabsorption of water back to the body (O’Byrne & Booth 2002, 208). In acute glomerulonephritis, the reabsorption of water is altered and the volume of urine increases resulting in acidosis and electrolyte imbalances. The structures and functions of the skin The skin is composed of two layers that are the dermis and epidermis plus a subcutaneous layer of tissue is found beneath the dermis. The three main functions of the skin include sensation, regulation and protection of the underlying body organs. Any wounds such as a third-degree burn will affect these skin functions. The primary skin function is protection by acting as a barrier. It protects from any external pressures or mechanical impacts, from any microorganism, any temperature variations, and chemicals as well as protection from radiations. The skin also plays the function of regulation as it regulates several physiological aspects including body temperature via the hair and sweat, and fluid balance changes through sweat production. It also plays a role in vitamin D synthesis by acting as a reservoir (Brohem et al. 2011, 43). According to Slominski et al. (2008), the skin layers contain an extensive nerve cell network for sensation. It contains different separate receptors for pain, heat, cold and touch. Wound skin from a third-degree burn causes damage to these nerve cells resulting in neuropathy that causes loss of sensation in the affected areas. Bibliography Ainslie, P.N. & Duffin, J., 2009. Integration of cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity and chemoreflex control of breathing: mechanisms of regulation, measurement, and interpretation. American journal of physiology. Regulatory, integrative and comparative physiology, 296, pp.R1473–R1495. Brohem, C.A. et al., 2011. Artificial skin in perspective: Concepts and applications. Pigment Cell and Melanoma Research, 24, pp.35–50. Chiras, D. D. (2013). Human body systems: structure, function, and environment. Burlington, MA, Jones & Bartlett Learning. 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