Homeostasis

What is homeostasis and how do mammals maintain it?

-Homeostasis is the internal balance in an environment.

How do mammals maintain in? Lets find out.

How?

Mammals maintain homeostasis through body temperature, pH balance and glucose regulation.

Temperature

• During the summer, when temperatures are warmer, mammals keep their hairs and feathers flat and close to the body so that there is no air between the body and their hair.
• Mammals maintaining body temperature is called endotherms.
• Mammals regulate body temperature by generating heat through metabolic activities.
• Sweat glands in the skin are stimulated to secrete sweat which will evaporate, taking away excess heat from the mammals body.
• In other mammals like cats and dogs, panting helps cool down the bod temperature. Panting also helps speed up evaporation from the lungs.

• During winter when the temperatures are colder, the hairs and feathers are raised up so that the air accumulates between the hair and the body surface.

Endothermic VS. Ectothermic

• Mammals are endothermic which means we maintain a fairly constant body temperature.
• Non-endothermic organisms are called ectothermic.

• The difference between the two is that endothermic animals use internal corrective mechanisms.
• Ectothermic use behavioral mechanisms (Ex. Lying in the sun when it is cold.) (Ex. Moving into the shade when it is hot)

Internal Mechanisms ensure that temperatures of the blood going to vital organs (Brain, Heart) is kept constant.

.

Glucose

Glucose regulation is the regulation of level of glucose in the blood. Glucose is usually referred to as blood sugar.

• Important parts of maintaining glucose is the pancreas which acts as the monitor.
• The Islets of Langerhans. Which acts as the control center.
• Liver, Muscles & other body parts act as regulators.

Glucose is the transport carbohydrate in animals, its concentration affects every cell in the body.

1. Insulin decreases blood glucose.
2. Glucagon increases blood glucose.

.

pH

-Mammals try to have a pH of roughly 7.4
-They need the pH level to be about this number so that their enzymes will work.
-If their enzymes to not work properly, it can cause the mammals protein to denature and break down.

.

Body Parts involved with homeostasis:

• Kidneys- Regulate water and mineral salts concentration
• Skin- Regulate body temperature
• Liver & Pancreas- Regulate blood glucose level

5 important excrement organs in mammals:

• Skin- Excretes sweat.
• Lungs- Excretes carbon dioxide and water.
• Liver- Excretes bile.
• Gut- Excretes mucosa cells.
• Kidney- Excrete urine.

FUN FACT OF THE POST: Urine removes excess heat from the body to keep
the body temperature constant.

To learn more about this topic, go onto this website!
http://www.slideshare.net/hiratufail/homeostasis-in-mammals-ar