Chapter Objectives

1. Distinguish between osmoregulators and osmoconformers
2. Discuss the problems that marine organisms, freshwater organisms, and terrestrial organisms face in maintaining homeostasis and explain what osmoregulatory adaptations serve as solutions to these problems
3. Explain the role of transport epithelia in osmoregulation
4. Describe how a flame-bulb (protonephridia) excretory system functions
5. Explain how the metanephridial excretory tubule of annelids functions and describe any structural advances over a protonephridial system
6. Explain how the Malpighian tubule excretory system contributed to the success of insects in the terrestrial environment
7. Using a diagram, identify and give the function of each structure in the mammalian excretory system
8. Using a diagram, identify and give the function of each part of the nephron
9. Describe and show the relationship among the processes of filtration, secretion, and reabsorption
10. Explain the significance of the fact that juxtamedullary nephrons are only found in birds and mammals
11. Explain how the loop of Henle enhances water conservation by the kidney
12. Describe the mechanisms involved in the hormonal regulation of the kidney
13. Describe structural and physiological adaptations in the kidneys of non-mammalian species that allow them to osmoregulate in different environments
14. Explain the correlation between type of nitrogenous waste produced (ammonia, urea, or uric acid) by an organism and its habitat
15. Describe the adaptive advantages of endothermy
16. Discuss 4 general categories of physiological and behavioral adjustments used by land mammals to maintain relatively constant body temperatures
17. Distinguish between the 2 thermoregulatory centers of the hypothalamus
18. Describe the thermoregulatory adaptations found in non-terrestrial animals
19. Describe several mechanisms of physiological acclimatization to new temperature ranges
20. Distinguish between hibernation and aestivation

 

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21. Compare the response times of the 2 major systems of internal communication (nervous and endocrine systems)
22. Distinguish among types of chemical messengers (structural and functional differences)
23. Distinguish between endocrine and exocrine glands
24. Describe the relationships among endocrine system components:
    1. hormones
    2. endocrine glands
    3. target cells
    4. target cell receptors
25. List the general chemical classes of hormones and give examples of each
26. Explain how pheromone function differs from hormone function
27. Provide indirect evidence that humans may communicate with pheromones
28. State which of the 2 classes of hormones is lipid soluble and explain how this property affects hormone function
29. Describe the mechanism of steroid hormone action and explain the location and role of steroid hormone receptors
30. Explain how to account for specificity in target cell response to hormonal signals
31. Compare and contrast the 2 general modes of hormone action
32. Describe hormonal regulation of insect development including the roles of ecdysone, brain hormone, and juvenile hormone
33. Describe the location of the hypothalamus and explain how its hormone-releasing cells differ from both endocrine gland secretory cells and other neurons
34. Describe the location of the pituitary and explain the functions of the posterior and anterior lobes
35. List the posterior pituitary hormones and describe their effects on target organs
36. Using antidiuretic hormone as an example explain how a hormone contributes to homeostasis and how negative feedback can control hormone levels
37. Define tropic hormone and describe the functions of tropic hormones produced by the anterior pituitary
38. Explain how the anterior pituitary is controlled
39. List hormones of the thyroid gland and explain their role in development and metabolism
40. Diagram the negative feedback loop which regulates the secretion of thyroid hormones
41. State the location of the parathyroid glands and describe hormonal control of calcium homeostasis
42. Distinguish between alpha and beta cells in the pancreas and explain how their antagonistic hormones (insulin and glucagon) regulate carbohydrate metabolism
43. List hormones of the adrenal medulla, describe their function, and explain how their secretion is controlled
44. List hormones of the adrenal cortex, describe their function, and explain how their secretion is controlled
45. Describe short-term and long-term endocrine responses to stress
46. Identify male and female gonads and list the 3 categories of gonadal steroids
47. Define gonadotropin and explain how estrogen and androgen synthesis is controlled
48. Describe the location of the pineal and thymus glands, list their hormone products, and describe their functions
49. Explain how the endocrine and nervous systems are structurally, chemically, and functionally related

Chapter Terms:

Chapter Outline Framework

1. Regulation of Body Temperature
   1. 4 physical processes account for heat loss or gain
   2. Ectotherms derive body heat mainly from surroundings and endotherms derive body heat mainly from metabolism
   3. Thermoregulation involves physiological and behavioral adjustments
   4. Most animals are ectothermic but endothermy is widespread
   5. Torpor conserves energy during environmental extremes
2. Water Balance and Waste Disposal
   1. Water balance and waste disposal depend on transport epithelia
   2. Animal nitrogenous wastes are correlated with phylogeny and habitat
   3. Cells require balance between osmotic gain and loss of water
   4. Osmoregulators expend energy to control their internal osmolarity; osmoconformers are isoosmotic with their surroundings
3. Excretory Systems
1. Most excretory systems produce urine by refining a filtrate derived from body fluids
2. Diverse excretory systems are variations on a tubular theme
3. Nephrons and associated blood vessels are the functional units of the mammalian kidney
4. From blood filtrate to urine
5. Mammalian kidney's ability to conserve water is a key terrestrial adaptation
6. Nervous and hormonal feedback circuits regulate kidney function
7. Diverse adaptations of the vertebrate kidney have evolved
8. Interacting regulatory systems maintain homeostasis
4. Introduction to Regulatory Systems
1. Endocrine system and nervous system are structurally, chemically, and functionally related
2. Invertebrate regulatory systems clearly illustrate endocrine and nervous system interactions
5. Chemical Signals and their Modes of Action
1. Variety of local regulators affect neighboring target cells
2. Chemical signals bind to specific receptor proteins within target cells or on their surface
3. Most chemical signals bind to plasma membrane proteins initiating signal-transduction pathways
4. Steroid hormones, thyroid hormones, and some local regulators enter target cells and bind with intracellular receptors
6. Vertebrate Endocrine System
1. Hypothalamus and pituitary integrate many functions of the vertebrate endocrine system
2. Pineal gland is involved in biorhythms
3. Thyroid hormones function in development, bioenergetics, and homeostasis
4. Parathyroid hormone and calcitonin balance blood calcium
5. Endocrine tissues of the pancreas secrete insulin and glucagon, antagonistic hormones that regulate blood glucose
6. Adrenal medulla and adrenal cortex help the boy manage stress
7. Gonadal steroids regulate growth, development, reproductive cycles, and sexual behavior

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