Control of blood glucose is very important. Sufficient glucose must be delivered to cells for respiration, but too much glucose can eventually result in coma or even death. The concentration of glucose in the blood is affected by factors such as eating and exercise, and must be brought back to the normal level of about... Continue Reading →
Control of Body Temperature – Homeostasis Ep 2
Control of body temperature is the first example of homeostasis we will look at in this series. For humans, normal body temperature is 37°C. It is important to maintain this temperature as it is the optimum temperature for enzymes involved in many metabolic processes such as respiration. Humans are endotherms, meaning that they generate heat... Continue Reading →
Feedback Mechanisms – Homeostasis Ep 1
Homeostasis is the maintenance of a stable internal environment. The conditions inside the body must be stable so that cells can function properly. For example, if the temperature or pH are too high, enzymes can become denatured. It is also important to maintain blood glucose concentration and blood water potential, which we will look at... Continue Reading →
Receptors – Nervous Communication Ep 1
Today we are beginning a new series about nervous communication (the type that happens in animals, not making a speech in front of the class). We will cover the nervous system in a lot of detail over the next few articles, but today we are going to start by looking at receptors. What are receptors?... Continue Reading →
