Homeostasis: Keeping things in balance in the body
This is an internally assessed assignment which will count for NCEA credits.
You will research homeostatic mechanisms in general. You will then need to research how the body maintains a constant level of glucose in the blood.
Following this you will focus on the effect of gestation (pregnancy) on blood glucose levels and gestational diabetes. After researching and making your own notes you will sit an open book assessment on this topic. You can bring all your own notes!!
You will research homeostatic mechanisms in general. You will then need to research how the body maintains a constant level of glucose in the blood.
Following this you will focus on the effect of gestation (pregnancy) on blood glucose levels and gestational diabetes. After researching and making your own notes you will sit an open book assessment on this topic. You can bring all your own notes!!
The first thing you need to understand is what is meant by homeostasis. Basically homeostasis means keeping things in the same state. It means keeping conditions at the same level.
If conditions in the body are not kept at about the same level, lots of processes which happen in the cell do not work properly or efficiently anymore. (Mainly because the enzymes denature)
An example is body pH. Imagine your body pH dropped into a very acidic situation. What would happen to the enzymes?? The acid would inhibit their ability to work as the acidic pH would change the chemical bonds in the enzyme protein and the enzyme would get all out of shape. Then its active site wouldn't work and it would not catalyze the reaction.
Another example is that all Mammals keep their body at the same temperature. In order to keep things at the same level there are several processes that need to happen. These usually involve "Feedback Loops"
If conditions in the body are not kept at about the same level, lots of processes which happen in the cell do not work properly or efficiently anymore. (Mainly because the enzymes denature)
An example is body pH. Imagine your body pH dropped into a very acidic situation. What would happen to the enzymes?? The acid would inhibit their ability to work as the acidic pH would change the chemical bonds in the enzyme protein and the enzyme would get all out of shape. Then its active site wouldn't work and it would not catalyze the reaction.
Another example is that all Mammals keep their body at the same temperature. In order to keep things at the same level there are several processes that need to happen. These usually involve "Feedback Loops"
Feedback Loops
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Click on the button below to go to a short reading which explains feedback loops in Biology. It would help you to learn those definitions!!
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Examples in the body |
Below is a summary of some of the key homeostatic mechanisms in the body. Scroll down the page to find out the basics of Glucose control
The link opposite is to a student generated website on homeostasis; I think she has done a really good job of her summaries and has used student language that may help you understand .Thanks to Eleisha!!
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Modules of information to work through to understand homeostasis:
Insulin and Glucose Regulation
This is a quick 3 min clip to explain what insulin does
This is a good clip which explains the relationship between insulin and blood sugar in more detail. This clip is from the Khan academy and runs for about 12 mins
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Gestational Diabetes
In late pregnancy, the hormones oestrogen, cortisol, and human placental lactogen can block insulin effects in the mother. When insulin is blocked, it's called insulin resistance. Glucose can't go into the body's cells. The glucose stays in the blood and makes the mother's blood sugar levels go up. If the mother is unable to counteract this she may develop gestational diabetes.
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