Basic Human Physiology: Chapter 1 Flashcards

What type of explanation describes why glucose is transported from blood into cells?

What happens when blood glucose levels are high?

How does a liver cell respond to insulin?

What occurs when blood glucose levels are low?

What is the body's tendency to maintain relatively constant internal conditions called?

What cells in the body respond to glucagon by breaking down glycogen and releasing glucose?

Which body cells respond to insulin?

What is the most accurate definition of homeostasis?

What is the example of feedback in the process of insulin release after a meal?

In an experiment to see how exercise affects heart rate, what is the independent variable?

Metabolism and Hormonal Regulation

Glucose is essential for cellular energy production, moving from blood into cells facilitated by hormone action.
High blood glucose triggers insulin release from the pancreas, promoting glucose uptake by liver cells.
Liver cells convert excess glucose into glycogen for storage following insulin release.

Hormonal Responses

Low blood glucose prompts the pancreas to release glucagon, which signals the liver to release glucose into the bloodstream.
Key cells responding to glucagon are liver cells, crucial for maintaining energy balance.

Homeostasis

Homeostasis refers to the body's ability to sustain stable internal conditions despite fluctuations in external environments.
An accurate definition of homeostasis emphasizes the maintenance of constant conditions within the organism.

Feedback Mechanisms

Negative feedback regulates physiological processes—e.g., increased blood glucose post-meal stimulates insulin release, leading to decreased glucose levels.
This feedback loop plays a significant role in metabolic regulation and homeostasis.

Experimental Design

In experiments analyzing exercise intensity and heart rate, the independent variable is the intensity of the exercise administered to subjects, impacting the dependent variable: heart rate response.

Test your knowledge of the concepts discussed in Chapter 1 of Basic Human Physiology. These flashcards cover essential terms and their definitions that are fundamental to understanding how glucose functions in the body. Enhance your learning with key physiological principles related to energy requirements and insulin response.