Describe the role of the skin in temperature regulation, with

reference to sweating, vasoconstriction and vasodilation

  Be able to explain how thermoregulation takes place, with reference to
the function of the skin, including:
o a) the role of the dermis – sweat glands, blood vessels and nerve
endings, hair, erector muscles and sebaceous glands
o b) the role of the hypothalamus – regulating body temperature
 Be able to explain how thermoregulation takes place, with reference to:
o a) vasoconstriction
o b) vasodilation
o c) negative feedback

 The body temperature is controlled by the brain to maintain the

temperature at which enzymes work best (~37oC).
o Somewhere in the complexity of the brain (the hypothalamus)
some kind of 'biochemical thermostat' is at work.
o This 'thermostat' is sensitive to the blood temperature of the brain
and via nerve impulse signals from temperature receptors in the
skin.
o When the hypothalamus receives nerve signals from the skin
about its temperature, either its too cold or its too hot, response
mechanisms are automatically triggered in the dermis - the
deeper layer of the skin, this is an example of a 'negative
feedback' mechanism.
 This automatic temperature change response is an example
of negative feedback.
 If you are too cold, hair erector muscles contract, and your
hairs stand upright trapping a layer of insulating air. Your
sweating is reduced to a minimum since heat is absorbed
and therefore lost in the process of evaporation. In
vasoconstriction, the blood vessels near the skin surface
constrict so less blood flows and therefore less heat energy
is transferred to the cold surroundings.
  If you are too hot the erector muscles relax allowing the
hairs to lie flat on the skin, no longer trapping insulating air.
You also begin to sweat which removes heat energy in the
process of evaporation. The blood vessels near the skin
surface widen (to dilate - process of dilation, vasodilation)
which allows more blood to flow and hence transfer more
heat to the surroundings.
 I'm afraid there are limits to your bodies response ...

 A very high temperatures make you feel extremely uncomfortable as

your body struggles to cope with the situation and you suffer from 'heat
exhaustion' and then heatstroke - which can be fatal.
 At the other extreme, particularly without adequate clothing, very low
temperatures resulting in great heat loss the body can lead to
hypothermia and finally death. If body respiration can't replace the heat
loss, then your body gradually cools, it begins to malfunction and
eventually ceases to function at all.
 Know and understand that sweating helps to cool the body.
o Know that more water is lost when it is hot, and more water has to
be taken as drink or in food to balance this loss.
 Know and understand that body temperature is monitored and
controlled by the thermoregulatory centre in the brain.
o Know and understand that this centre has receptors sensitive to
the temperature of the blood flowing through the brain.
 The name of the centre in the brain (hypothalamus)
is not required.
 Also know and understand that temperature receptors in the skin send
impulses to the thermoregulatory centre, giving information about skin
temperature.
 Know and understand that if the core body temperature is too high:
o blood vessels supplying the skin capillaries dilate so that more
blood flows through the capillaries and more heat is lost,
o sweat glands release more sweat which cools the body as it
evaporates.
 Know and understand that if the core body temperature is too low:
o blood vessels supplying the skin capillaries constrict to reduce the
flow of blood through the capillaries,
o muscles may ‘shiver’ – their contraction needs respiration, which
releases some energy to warm the body.
 Thermoregulation and the effect of temperature on enzymes
o Thermoregulation is the maintaining of a steady body temperature
(eg for us ~37.5oC)
o If you get too hot, you need to remove excess heat energy.
o If you get too cold you need to retain heat and reduce heat loss.
o The temperature is particularly important for enzyme action - most
enzymes in the body have an optimum operating temperature of
 ~37oC, normal body temperature, so that's what your biochemistry
wants, ~37oC
 The body temperature is controlled by the brain to maintain the
temperature at which enzymes work best (~37oC).
o Somewhere in the complexity of the brain (the hypothalamus)
some kind of 'biochemical thermostat' is at work.
o This 'thermostat' is sensitive to the blood temperature of the brain
and via nerve impulse signals from temperature receptors in the
skin.
o When the hypothalamus receives nerve signals from the skin
about its temperature, either its too cold or its too hot, response
mechanisms are automatically triggered in the dermis - the
deeper layer of the skin, this is an example of a 'negative
feedback' mechanism.
o This automatic temperature change response is an example of
negative feedback.
o If you are too cold, hair erector muscles contract, and your hairs
stand upright trapping a layer of insulating air. Your sweating is
reduced to a minimum since heat is absorbed and therefore lost in
the process of evaporation. In vasoconstriction, the blood vessels
near the skin surface constrict so less blood flows and therefore
less heat energy is transferred to the cold surroundings.
o If you are too hot the erector muscles relax allowing the hairs to
lie flat on the skin, no longer trapping insulating air. You also
begin to sweat which removes heat energy in the process of
evaporation. The blood vessels near the skin surface widen (to
dilate - process of dilation, vasodilation) which allows more blood
to flow and hence transfer more heat to the surroundings.
o I'm afraid there are limits to your bodies response ...
 A very high temperatures make you feel extremely
uncomfortable as your body struggles to cope with the
situation and you suffer from 'heat exhaustion' and then
heatstroke - which can be fatal.
 At the other extreme, particularly without adequate clothing,
very low temperatures resulting in great heat loss the body
can lead to hypothermia and finally death. If body
respiration can't replace the heat loss, then your body
gradually cools, it begins to malfunction and eventually
ceases to function at all.
Regulating body temperature
The human body is designed to function most efficiently at 37ºC. If you become too hot or too
cold, there are ways in which your body temperature can be controlled.

Too hot
When we get too hot:

Sweat glands in the skin release more sweat. The sweat evaporates, removing heat
energy from the skin.
Blood vessels leading to the skin capillaries become wider - they dilate - allowing more
blood to flow through the skin, and more heat to be lost.

Too cold
When we get too cold:

Muscles contract rapidly - we shiver. These contractions need energy from respiration,

and some of this is released as heat.
Blood vessels leading to the skin capillaries become narrower - they constrict - letting
less blood flow through the skin and conserving heat in the body.

The skin
The hairs on the skin also help to control body temperature. They lie flat when we are warm, and
rise when we are cold. The hairs trap a layer of air above the skin, which helps to insulate the
skin against heat loss.

The hypothalamus is the part of the brain which monitors the body's temperature. It receives
information from temperature-sensitive receptors in the skin and circulatory system.

The hypothalamus responds to this information by sending nerve impulses to effectors to

maintain body temperature. For example, if we become too cold, the hair erector muscles
contract. This raises the skin hairs and traps a layer of air next to the skin.

Skin hairs lie flat when we are hot and stand upright when we are cold
Negative feedback mechanisms control body temperature. They include the amount of:

shivering (rapid muscle contractions release heat)

sweating (evaporation of water in sweat causes cooling)
blood flowing in the skin capillaries

Negative feedback in temperature regulation

Vasoconstriction and vasodilation

The amount of blood flowing through the skin capillaries is altered
by vasoconstriction and vasodilation.

Too cold Too hot

Process Vasoconstriction Vasodilation

Arterioles Get narrower Get wider

Blood flow in skin capillaries Decreases Increases

Heat loss from skin Decreases Increases

These diagrams show the processes that take place when vasoconstriction and vasodilation
occur.

Vasoconstriction – a response to being too cold

Vasodilation – a response to being too hot

Describe the role of the skin in temperature regulation, with

reference to sweating, vasoconstriction and vasodilation
 Control of body temperature is a homeostatic mechanism
 The human body maintains the temperature at which enzymes work best, around 37°C
 If body temperature increases over this temperature, enzymes will denature and become less
effective at catalysing reactions such a respiration
 This process is controlled by the hypothalamus region of the brain which contains receptors
sensitive to the temperature of the blood 
 The skin also has temperature receptors and sends nervous impulses to the hypothalamus
 The hypothalamus responds to this information by sending nerve impulses to effectors in the
skin to maintain the temperature within a narrow range of the optimum, 37°C

Structures in the skin when it is hot

 Erector muscles relax
 Hairs lie flat and allow air to circulate over skin and heat to leave by radiation
 Sweat is secreted by sweat glands
 This cools skin by evaporation which uses heat energy from the body to convert liquid water
into water vapour
 Blood flow in capillaries increases because blood vessels to the skin capillaries get wider –
this is known as vasodilation
 This cools the body as blood (which carries heat around the body) is flowing at a faster rate
through the skin’s surface and so more heat is lost by radiation
 Structures in the skin when it is cold

 Erector muscles contract and pull hairs upwards

 Erect hairs trap a layer of air around the skin which acts as an insulator, preventing heat
loss
 Blood flow in capillaries slows down because blood vessels leading to the skin capillaries get
narrower – this is known as vasoconstriction
 This reduces the amount of heat lost from blood by radiation as less blood flows through
the surface of the skin
 In addition to these changes in skin, skeletal muscles contract rapidly and we shiver
 These muscle contractions need energy from respiration and some of this is released as
heat
Homeostatic responses to changes in body temperature