- water regulation
- temperature regulation
- glucose regulation
Our body controls the amount of water within us using a process called homeostasis. This process regulates the water intake and output. The kidneys retain fluid and also remove toxic products such as urea from our bodies (urea is found in urine). The liver regulates the blood sugar and converts nitrogenous waste. It also has a filtering system in which toxic substances are converted to less harmful substances. The brain also plays a part in water regulation, as it sends the signal for when the urine needs to be expelled from the body.
In order to regulate the temperature of our bodies, a process called thermoregulation occurs. This is when our bodies maintain our original body temperature despite the temperature of the surroundings being very different. This process is also an aspect of homeostasis. The hypothalamus is our bodies' thermoregulation centre. When the body temperature is exceedingly hot, vasodilation and sweating are performed to release some of the heat. When the body temperature is colder, blood flow to the skin is restricted. The hairs on the skin surface are erected to provide better insulation, causing the appearance of "goosebumps". When necessary, shivering also occurs, causing muscle contraction in order to generate heat to our bodies.
During digestion, the digestive system breaks carbohydrates down into glucose. In order to regulate the glucose in the body, the pancreas produces insulin. This insulin enables the cells in the body to utilise the glucose, producing energy which is supplied to the rest of the body. When the blood glucose level falls, alpha cells in the pancreas produce glucagon, a hormone which stmulates the liver to release some of the glycogen present within it, in order to keep the blood glucose level regulated. This is why after about 15 minutes of feeling very hungry, we will start to feel less hungry.
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