Functional Organization of the

Human body and Control of the

Internal Environment
Human Physiology
- is concerned with specific characteristics and
mechanisms of the human body that make it
a living being and the mechanisms which help
in adaptation and homeostasis which are the
two fundamental features of life.
Human body
- consists of about 100 trillion cells which form
organs and systems.
- Skin and its appendages
- Skeletal system
- Muscle system
- Nervous System
- Cardiovascular system
- Respiratory system
- Digestive system
- Excretory system
- Reproductive system
- Endocrine system
- Blood and immune system
Body Composition
- water ( 60%)
- minerals ( 7%)
- protein and related substances (18%)
- fat (15%)
Total Body water
- in normal adult male – 61% of total body
weight
- in normal adult female – 51 % of total body
weight
The body fluid compartments
- Intracellular Fluid compartment ( ICF)
- Extracellular Fluid compartment ( ECF)
ICF
- comprises 40% of the body weight
ECF
- comprises 20% of the body weight
Extracellular Fluid Compartment
- Plasma ( 5% of total body weight)
- Interstitial fluid including lymph ( 75%)

- Transcellular fluid
- saliva, sweat , cerebrospinal fluid, (CSF),
intraocular fluids ,pericardial fluid, bile,
pleural fluid, peritoneal fluid , synovial fluid,
lacrimal fluid, luminal fluid of the gut, thyroid and
cochlea)
- Mesenchymal tissue fluid
- present in bones, cartilage and dense connective tissue.
Measurement of Body Volumes

- INDICATOR DILUTION METHOD

V = A1- A2
C
where
V= volume of fluid compartment
A1= amount of indicator (injected)
A2= amount of indicator ( excreted or
metabolised)
C= concerntration of the indicator in the fluid)
= 150mg- 10mg = 14000ml
0.01mg/ ml
Measurement of total body water
- Indicators used are-
- Deuterium oxide (D2O)
- Tritium oxide
- Aminopyrine
Measurement of Extracellular Fluid (ECF)
volume
Indicators used are-
- Radioactive substances like sodium,
chloride ( 36Cl and 38Cl), bromide
(82 Br), sulphate and thiosulphate
- Nonmetabolizable saccharides ( inulin,
mannitol and sucrose).
Measurement of Plasma volume
Indicators used are
- Radioactive Iodine I 131
- The dye Evan’s blue- T-1824
- Radioactive chromium Cr - 51
Measurement of Intracellular fluid volume
ICF volume = TBW volume – ECF volume
Measurement of Interstitial fluid volume
Interstitial fluid volume
= ECF volume – plasma volume
Internal Environment and Homeostasis
- Claude Bernarde ( 1946) coined the term
internal environment of the body or the
milieu interieur for the extracellular fluid
of the body.
Homeostasis
- W B Cannon introduced the term
Homeostasis , the mechanism by which
constancy of the internal environment
is maintained and ensured.
The factors involved in the maintenance of
internal environment are-
- maintenance of pH of ECF
- regulation of temperature
- maintenance of water and electrolyte
balance
- supply of nutrients, oxygen , enzymes
and hormones.
- removal of metabolic and other waste
products.
Mode of Action of Homeostatic mechanisms
- Feedback control mechanisms
- Adaptive control system
Feedback mechanism
- Negative feedback mechanism
- Positive feedback mechanism
Negative Feedback mechanism
- Rise or fall of Blood Pressure
- secretion of hormone thyroxine from
thyroid gland under the influence of
pituitary gland Thyroid stimulating
hormone
Positive Feedback mechanism
- sudden bleeding of 2L of blood sets a
vicious circle of progressive weakening of
the heart.
- clot formation
- child birth
- generation of nerve signals
Adaptive Control Mechanisms
- feed forward control of the brain