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HOMEOSTASIS
This refers to keeping the internal environment stable (constant) or within narrow limits.

In mammals a variety of organs play specific roles in homeostasis.

Organs Concerned Factors controlled

Kidneys Water (osmo-regulation), pH
& urea
Lungs CO2 & O2
Skin & Liver Temperature
Liver & islets of Langerhans Blood sugar / glucose

The Skin

The skin has two layers;

1. Epidermis
2. Dermis

Epidermis

This is the outermost layer of the skin. It protects the body from pathogens by forming a barrier on
top of one’s body.

Dermis

This tissue has several structures such as hair follicle, sebaceous gland, nerve endings, adipose
tissue, blood vessels etc.
Functions of the skin

a) Protection – the outermost layer of the dead cells of the epidermis helps to reduce water loss &
provides a barrier. The melanin pigment produced by the mulphigian layer protects the skin from
damage by ultra-violet light rays.

b) Sensitivity – scattered throughout the skin are a large number of tiny receptors which give rise
to sensations of pain, pressure, heat & cold. These make us aware of changes in our
surroundings & enable us to avoid danger.

c) Temperature Regulation - Keeping the human body temperature constant is an example of a

homeostatic mechanism. The skin plays an important role in maintaining a constant body
temperature by adjusting blood flow near the skin surface & by sweating.
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The Skin Structure

Extracted from internet

 Hair Follicle – This gives rise to the found on the surface

 Sebaceous gland – Secretes an oily substance called sebum. This goes onto the skin
surface to keep it soft & supple
 Sweat glands – Absorb excess water and salts to make sweat
 Blood vessels – These supply the skin with useful substances such as food & take away
waste such as CO2 from the skin.
 Nerve endings – These are receptors to touch, pressure, heat etc; they pick up stimuli in
the skin & also bring motor impulses to the skin.
 Adipose tissue – (sub – cutaneous fats found below the skin), it is food store and also
insulates the internal organs & prevents excessive heat loss.

Maintenance of a constant body temperature in humans;

Overcooling;
If the temperature of blood falls below normal, the Hypothalamus in the brain detects this,
impulses are sent to the skin for the blood’s temperature to be increased. The skin will respond
by;
i. Vaso-Constriction – this is the reduction on diameter of the blood vessels running near
the skin surface. This reduces blood flow near the skin surface & thus heat loss (by
conduction, convection & radiation) is greatly reduced.
ii. Sweat production stops – heat is conserved when there is no evaporation of sweat from
the skin.
iii. Hair on the skin surface stands up. This helps to trap air that insulates the body.
iv. Shivering – shivering is an involuntary muscular contraction in response to a drop in body
temperature. During these muscular contractions a lot of heat energy is released.

Overheating
If the blood’s temperature rises above normal, the thermoregulatory centre of the hypothalamus
detects this, impulses are sent to the skin to cool the blood. The skin responds by;
i. Vaso-dilation – blood vessels in the skin increase in diameter. As a result more blood
flows near the skin surface. More heat is lost (by conduction, convection & radiation)
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ii. Producing sweat – Sweat glands absorb water, excess salts & urea from the blood to
make sweat. This is transported to the skin surface through the sweat duct to the sweat
pore. As the sweat evaporates, it draws a lot of heat from the blood capillaries and one
feels cooler as the temperature falls to normal.
iii. Hair on the skin lies close to the skin surface – these makes the air currents to easily flow
close to the skin surface, collecting sweat & heat energy away from the body.

The role of the brain in temperature regulation

The hypothalamus located in the brain, detects the temperature of the blood. The
thermoregulatory centre (in the hypothalamus) receives sensory impulses from the skin. If the
blood is too hot, the hypothalamus sends an impulse to skin. The effect of this motor impulse will
cause the skin to respond through the activities that cool the blood as outlined above. This
mechanism of coordination is known as “Negative Feedback Mechanism”. This whereby the
outgoing impulse counteracts the effects of the received impulse. If the blood is too cold, the
outgoing impulse will make the skin warm the blood.

Osmo-regulation (water balance)

Water balance in the body is achieved by regulating the amount of water in the urine. This is
made possible by the action of ADH – anti-diuretic hormone produced in the pituitary gland.

Importance of water balance

Water is gained by the body from drinks & food and also produced within through respiration.
It is lost through urine, sweat, faeces & as vapour in the exhaled air. It is imperative that there is
balance between water gained & lost. If this balance breaks down then the body cells will either
gain or loss water through osmosis resulting in malfunctioning.

Generally kidneys regulate the amount of water present in the body by variation of the urine
produced as depicted in the flow diagram below.

Detected by the hypothalamus Detected by the

cells hypothalamus cell
Concentrated blood

Dilute blood

Pituitary gland stops

Pituitary gland produces ADH producing ADH

Kidney tubule cells become less

Kidney tubule cells become permeable to water – less water
more permeable to water – is re-absorbed
more water is re-absorbed

Small amounts of concentrated Large amount of dilute urine is

urine produced produced

Normal amount of water in the

body
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Regulation of glucose level

The recommended sugar level must be around 160mg/100cm3. when the concentration of blood
sugar increases, insulin is released by the islets of Langerhans cells in the pancreas into the
blood stream. Upon reaching the liver, it stimulates the liver cells to take up excess glucose &
convert it to glycogen for storage. When the glucose levels in the blood drop another hormone
called glucagon is released to stimulate the liver cells to convert glycogen back to glucose.

Courtesy of Lebsy Mb
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