Biology Stack Exchange
Biology Stack Exchange

Questions tagged [homeostasis]

The maintenance of a constant internal environment - for example temperature, carbon dioxide concentration or water concentration, etc. within an organism.

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Why do you die if you cannot breathe?

I was wondering what the actual reason for death by suffocation is. Obviously it is related to oxygen deprivation. But what is the underlying cause of death? Is it due to insufficient oxygen for aerobic respiration, and the resulting lack of ATP…
Meep
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If body temperature is 37°C (98.6°F), why are most people more comfortable at around 21°C (70°F)?

It may be different for other people, but for me, anything above 32°C (90°F) is very uncomfortable, and my body is inclined to seek cooler temperatures. But I would think that at 32°C, the body would have less work to do to get itself to 37°C. So…
Benjamin Lindley
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What biological functions does crying serve?

Tears suddenly start flowing out of our eyes when we find our long lost friend or when someone unexpectedly decides to break up with us. Do tears really save us from harm? Or are they just the reflex shown? What biological purpose do tears serve for…
علی آفاق
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Glomerular Filtration Rate

In practice, when you have vasoconstriction of the glomerular capillaries and subsequently an increase in blood pressure, glomerular filtration rate increases. However, this seems counterintuitive to Bernoulli's principle. During vasoconstriction,…
jp89
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Last-ditch efforts to maintain thermal homeostasis

I was in the gym's steam-room today and a thought occurred to me: have I truly thwarted all possible mechanisms for maintaining thermal homeostasis? There's sweating, which is thwarted because the steam-room's atmosphere is as close to 100% humidity…
Chris Wenham
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Is lemon water an alkalizing agent in the body?

I was recently having a discussion with someone about whether lemon water actually increases the pH of your body (by which I assume they mean the blood); their claim was that once Citric acid was metabolised it results in an increase in pH due to…
Thomas Russell
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How does the body measure dehydration?

What, physically, does the body do to measure it? I assume it's measured by how how turgid or plasmolysed certain 'sample cells' are, or water concentration in the blood, What is the way they use to measure it? What do the receptor cells that do…
Meow
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Why antipyretics do not bring the body-temperature below normal?

Antipyretics like paracetamol are used to decrease the body-temperature in fever patients. But some of them are also used as pain-killers in sprain or other injuries (where there's no fever). In that case they changes the body temperature very…
Always Confused
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Can tardigrades survive being eaten?

Compared to a tardigrade, the cockroach seems fragile. But can tardigrades survive the acidic environment of being eaten by most animals?
alan2here
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Why do people feel extreme cold at different temperatures compared to other people of same body structure?

I have seen some people shivering in the room temperature of 18°C while others of similar body structure do not feel that much amount of cold. Of course the clothing of both people is similar if not same. What can be the cause of such different…
Aquarius_Girl
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Counterintuitive action of Vitamin D?

Vitamin D acts in a way which to me is counterintuitive. It functionally supplemets Parathormone. It in the intestinal tract steps up calcium absorption by altering nuclear gene expression and also prevents calcium excretion in kidneys. All of this…
stochastic13
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How can hyperthyroidism induce osteoporosis?

It says in my physiology notes that hyperthyroidism can cause osteoporosis. I've been trying to figure out how this could be possible for a little more than an hour now. Every article that I look at seem to agree with the fact, but I can't find the…
Peyolikepeyote
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How does the brain cool itself?

Thoughout life everyone tells you that brain is essentially a computer but just like computers your brain would create immense amounts of heat by being in use, so if that's the case how does it cool down. Is like liquid cooling where the blood…
Eric
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At what calcium concentration does the Sodium-Calcium Exchanger (NCX) "turn on"?

I am interested in the comparison between the Plasma Membrane Calcium ATPase (PMCA) and the Sodium-Calcium Exchanger (NCX) which are two pumps on the plasma membrane of cells that serve to move calcium out of the cell and maintain relatively low…
BioPhysicist
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why do our eyes not go red in response to body temperature?

I know that blood flow increases/decreases in response to temperature change, which is why (lighter-skinned) people go red when they are hot. I know that the eye contains lots of blood vessels. Why do our eyes not turn red when we are hot?
ipsa scientia potestas
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