HOMEOSTASIS

Homeostasis is the maintenance of a

steady state in the body despite
changes in the external environment
The steady state is the optimum level
for the body functions

© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS

 A system in homeostasis
needs
 Sensors to detect changes in the internal
environment

 A comparator which fixes the set point of the system

(e.g. body temperature).
 The set point will be the optimum condition under
which the system operates
 Effectors which bring the system back to the set
point
 Feedback control. Negative feedback stops the
system over compensating (going too far)
 A communication system to link the different parts
together

© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS

 A system in homeostasis
needs

Return to
Perturbation in
normal
the internal Sensor Comparator Effector
internal
environment
environment
Sensor

Negative
feedback

© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS

 Communication systems
Stimulus
These should
consist of the Sensor
following
components Linkage
system

Effector

Reponse

© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS

 In animals there are two
communication systems

 The endocrine system based upon

hormones
 The nervous system based upon
nerve impulses

© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS

 Hormones

 Organic substances
 Produced in small quantities

 Produced in one part of an organism

(an endocrine gland)
 Transported by the blood system

 To a target organ or tissue where it

has a profound effect

© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS

 The endocrine system
 The endocrine system produces chemical
signals

 Each hormone is different and they travel

relatively quickly through the blood stream all
over the body

 Their effects may be very slow (e.g. growth

hormone over years)

 Some are very fast (e.g. adrenaline which acts

in seconds)
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS
 Nerve impulses

 All nerve impulses look the same

 So the nervous system sends signals

along nerves to specific parts of the
body

 The nerve impulses travel very quickly

and affect their target tissues in
milliseconds
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS
 The nervous system
 The nervous system is composed of
excitable cells called neurones (also
neurons)
 Neurones, characteristically, have long thin
extensions which carry electrical nerve
impulses
 This electrical signal of the nerve impulse
needs to be converted into a chemical
signal (a neurotransmitter) so that it can
pass from nerve cell to nerve cell

© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS

 The nervous system
organisation
 A Central Nervous System (CNS) made of the
brain and spinal cord…
 and peripheral nerves connecting it to
sensors and effectors
Central Nervous
System
Sensory nerve Motor nerve

Receptor or Sensor Effector

eg photoreceptor eg muscle or gland

Stimulus Response
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS
 Hormone pathway
Endocrine cell
Hormone
synthesis
Hormone
precursors Hormone stored
in vesicles
Stimulus acts on
receptor site or
Hormone secreted
directly inside cell
into the blood
stream

Chemicals stimulating the

release of the hormone
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS
 Hormone pathway

Hormone
receptor site

Metabolic effect

Target cell
© 2008 Paul Billiet ODWS