Homeostasis is one of the most important principles of biology. Animals need to maintain a relatively stable internal state in order to function effectively. Enzymes need to be kept at close to their optimum temperature and cells require the right amount of water.
This book focuses on the homeostatic control of both body temperature through the co-ordinating action of the hypothalamus; and of water levels with emphasis on the function of the kidney.
Some of the facts about the homeostatic control of water levels are really astonishing. For example, about three hundred litres of blood pass through the kidneys every day, creating about two hundred litres of filtrate - most of which the kidney reabsorbs into the blood, resulting in about three quarters of a litre of urine being produced per day. There are about one million nephrons (tiny tubes that carry the filtrate) in each human kidney. On top of this; the body temperature control system is equally impressive; with two million sweat glands being available to cool us down.
I am confident this book will enable you to understand better the principles of homeostasis of body temperature and water levels; plus the function of the kidney; and I am equally hopeful that it will inspire you to further study and mastery of biology as a whole.
This book focuses on the homeostatic control of both body temperature through the co-ordinating action of the hypothalamus; and of water levels with emphasis on the function of the kidney.
Some of the facts about the homeostatic control of water levels are really astonishing. For example, about three hundred litres of blood pass through the kidneys every day, creating about two hundred litres of filtrate - most of which the kidney reabsorbs into the blood, resulting in about three quarters of a litre of urine being produced per day. There are about one million nephrons (tiny tubes that carry the filtrate) in each human kidney. On top of this; the body temperature control system is equally impressive; with two million sweat glands being available to cool us down.
I am confident this book will enable you to understand better the principles of homeostasis of body temperature and water levels; plus the function of the kidney; and I am equally hopeful that it will inspire you to further study and mastery of biology as a whole.
