14.

3 Hormones in humans
14.4 Homeostasis
Hormone is defined as a chemical substance, produced
by a gland and carried by the blood, which alters the
activity of one or more specific target organs
 Identify specific endocrine glands and their secretions, limited to adrenal glands and adrenaline, pancreas and insulin,
testes and testosterone and ovaries and oestrogen
Give examples of situations in which adrenaline secretion increases
Fig. 6.1 shows some parts of the human body where hormones are made

Complete Table 6.1 by identifying and naming each part and stating
the name of a hormone produced by each of the parts.
Some examples have been done for you

Adrenaline increases the heart rate.

State one example of a situation when adrenaline is produced and suggest why this
response is important
Describe adrenaline as the hormone secreted in ‘fight or flight’ situations and its effects, limited to increased breathing
and pulse rate and widened pupils • Give examples of situations in which adrenaline secretion increases

chemical;
produced/ secreted by a (endocrine) gland;
carried/transported in the blood/plasma ;
to a target organ;

situation: in (named) fright, fight or flight’ situations ;

importance: (body changes) allows for escape / avoidance / preparation for activity/to survive ;
Discuss the role of the hormone adrenaline in the chemical control of metabolic activity, including increasing the blood
glucose concentration and pulse rate

Q: In dangerous situations there is an increase in the secretion of adrenaline from the adrenal glands.
Describe three ways in which this increase in adrenaline prepares the body for action.

Answer: heart beats faster ;

increased rate of breathing ;
trachea / bronchi / bronchioles / airways, dilate / widen
vasoconstriction / AW, in gut / skin;
vasodilation / AW, in muscles ;
stimulates breakdown of glycogen in the liver ;
increases blood glucose concentration ; dilate pupils ;
heightened sensitivity / increased mental awareness /

SOLVE 3d 0610/32/O/N/10
SOLVE Q2 0610/32/O/N/13
SOLVE Q2 0610/33/O/N/11
SOLVE Q3 0610/33/M/J/14
Compare nervous and hormonal control systems in terms of speed and longevity of action

State one difference between nervous and hormonal control systems.

nervous control is faster; hormonal control is longer-lasting;

note: comparison must be made
 State the functions of insulin, oestrogen and testosterone

FUNCTION OF INSULIN
Controlling blood glucose concentrations. Glucose is needed in the blood to supply cells with glucose
for respiration. If blood glucose concentrations are too high, cells are damaged due to a loss of water by osmosis.
The pancreas continually monitors the level of glucose in the blood.
State the functions of insulin, oestrogen and testosterone
14.4 Homeostasis
Define homeostasis as the maintenance of a constant internal environment

homeostasis as the maintenance of a constant internal

environment
Explain that homeostasis is the control of internal conditions
within set limits
Explain that homeostasis is the control of internal conditions within set limits

•“The maintenance of a constant internal environment” means

that internal conditions within your body (such as temperature,
blood pressure, water concentration, glucose concentration
etc) need to be kept within set limits to ensure that reactions in
body cells can function, and therefore the organism as a whole,
can live
•When one of these conditions deviates far away from the
normal if not brought back within set limits the body will not
function properly and the eventual consequence without
medical intervention will be death
•This is why diabetics need to control glucose intake (as their
body cannot regulate it for them); why an extremely high and
prolonged fever will kill you; or why drinking too little or too
much water can damage cells throughout the body – especially
the kidneys and brain – and lead to death within days
•Most homeostatic mechanisms in the body are controlled by a
process known as negative feedback
Explain the concept of control by negative feedback

•Negative feedback occurs when conditions change from the

ideal or set point, and returns conditions to this set point
•It works in the following way:
• if the level of something rises, control systems are
switched on to reduce it again
• if the level of something falls, control systems are
switched on to raise it again
•Negative feedback mechanisms are usually a continuous cycle
of bringing levels down and then bringing them back up so that
overall, they stay within a narrow range of what is considered
‘normal’
The negative feedback cycle
 Explain the concept of control by negative feedback • Describe the control of the glucose concentration of the blood by
the liver and the roles of insulin and glucagon from the pancreas

The pancreas secretes insulin and glucagon. Both hormones work in balance to
play a vital role in regulating blood sugar levels.
Together, insulin and glucagon help maintain a state called homeostasis in
which conditions inside the body remain steady. When blood sugar is too high,
the pancreas secretes more insulin. When blood sugar levels drop, the pancreas
releases glucagon to raise them.
Insulin and glucagon are hormones secreted by the pancreas to
control the concentration of glucose in the blood.
(i) Complete Table 3.2 to show how the uptake of glucose by cells
and the concentration of glucose in the blood respond when the two
hormones are secreted.
Use the words increases, decreases and stays the same to
complete the table

State another hormone that influences the concentration of glucose in the

blood.

(d) Explain why the control of the concentration of glucose in the blood is an
example of negative feedback.
adrenaline ;
(d) glucose concentration is kept, (near) constant/within narrow limits;
any change (in concentration), is detected/acts as a stimulus ;
glucose → glycogen IN increasing glucose concentration/
glycogen → glucose IN decreasing glucose concentration ; idea that it returns concentration to normal ;
idea that release of correctly named hormone, stops/ switches off ;
ref to homeostasis ;
How insulin works
The following steps show the different changes in the body before, during and after a
meal is eaten:
1.Normal blood glucose concentration in the body.
2.Meal high in carbohydrate is eaten.
3.Blood glucose concentration increases (as glucose is absorbed from the ileum).
4.Pancreas makes insulin after detecting blood glucose increase.
5.Insulin acts in the liver to reduce blood glucose concentration by:
1. increasing glucose absorption from the blood by the liver and muscles;
2. converting excess glucose to glycogen which is stored mainly in liver but also muscle;
3. increasing respiration in the liver.
6.Normal blood glucose concentration is restored.

When blood glucose concentrations are low, less insulin is produced and the above processes do not take place or
slow down. Also instead of insulin, now pancreas produce glucagon, another hormone. Glucagon stimulates liver to
convert stored glycogen into glucose.
This helps to raise the concentration of glucose in the blood.
Outline the symptoms and treatment of Type 1 diabetes (detail of β cells is not required)

Diabetes
If someone does not produce enough insulin to control their blood glucose
concentration they have diabetes.

Symptoms
•Glucose in the urine – blood glucose concentration is so high that some is filtered out by the kidneys
and passed into the urine
•High blood glucose levels
•Being thirsty
•The need to go to the toilet a lot
•Lethargy – feeling tired/having low energy
•Type 1 diabetes is a condition where the blood glucose levels
are not able to be regulated as the insulin-secreting cells in the
pancreas are not able to produce insulin
•This means that blood glucose levels are often far too high
•It can be treated by injecting insulin
•The extra insulin causes the liver to convert glucose into
glycogen, which reduces the blood glucose level
•Symptoms of diabetes include extreme thirst, weakness or
tiredness, blurred vision, weight loss and loss of consciousness
in extreme cases
•People with Type 1 diabetes have to monitor their blood
glucose levels throughout the day as their levels of physical
activity and their diet affect the amount of insulin needed
•They can help to control their blood glucose level by being
careful with their diet –  eating foods that will not cause large
increases in blood glucose level, and by exercising, which can
lower blood glucose levels due to increased respiration in the
muscles
Name and identify on a diagram of the skin: hairs, hair erector muscles, sweat glands, receptors, sensory neurones,
blood vessels and fatty tissue

Name structures A to D.
A – hair ; B – (temperature) receptor ; A (sensory) nerve ending
C – sweat gland ; D – fat (cell)
Describe how the structures (A to D) in the skin help to maintain a constant body
temperature. You may refer to the structures by their letters.

hair / A raises hair + traps air ; A ORA air is (good) insulator ;

temperature receptor / B detects change in temperature ; impulses to the,

CNS / brain / spinal cord ;

sweat gland / C secretes / produces, sweat + evaporates from surface of

skin ; ORA heat lost from the body / blood cooled / AW ; ORA

fat / D insulator
 SOLVE Q3 0610/31/M/J/16

Name the structures labelled in Fig. 3.1 and outline a function in the skin for each one.
Write your answers in Table 3.1.
 Describe the maintenance of a constant internal body temperature in humans in terms of insulation, sweating,
shivering and the role of the brain (limited to blood temperature receptors and coordination)
Fig. 2.1 shows some capillaries near the skin surface.

(i) State the condition in the body that would cause these capillaries to have a large blood flow.
(ii) Describe and explain one other response of the body to the condition you have stated in (a)(i)
. Explain why mammals increase blood flow to the skin surface.

SOLVE Q4 0610/41/M/J/18
(i) body temperature high / above normal

(ii) sweat secreted /sweat glands active ;

(sweat/ water) evaporates (from skin surface) ;
heat/energy for evaporation provided by body ;
body cools down ;

(iii) blood carries heat AW ;

body temperature needs to be maintained AW at 37°C/ reference to homeostasis ;

idea of enzyme activity affected adversely by higher temperature ;

(more blood flow to the surface) means more heat lost ;

by evaporation of sweat/conduction/convection/radiation ;
 Vasodilation & Vasoconstriction
•When we are cold blood flow in capillaries slows down because arterioles 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
•When we are hot 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

SOLVE Q6 0610/43/O/N/17
 (a) Table 3.1 shows the responses of the skin to cold weather.
Complete the table by:
• naming the parts of the skin that respond to cold weather
• using the letters (P to V) from Fig. 3.1 to identify these parts
of the skin.

(b) The response of the skin to cold weather is an involuntary action.

Explain how an involuntary action differs from a voluntary action.

(c) Describe how the nervous system coordinates the response of the skin to cold weather.
(d) Explain how negative feedback is involved in the control of body temperature.
Responses in the skin
when hot
Responses in the skin when cold
Explain the mechanism that increases blood flow through the skin.

detection by, sensory neurone / receptor (in skin) ; brain / 

hypothalamus, as control centre / AW ; impulses in, motor / 
effector, neurones ; muscles in, shunt vessels contract / 
arterioles relax ; so shunt vessels, constrict / close ; arterioles
dilate / vasodilation ; increased / more, blood flow, into
capillaries / near surface (of skin) ;