How allergies impact homeostasis
Allergies occur when the immune system reacts to harmless antigens the same way it does to harmful ones. Allergens such as pollen or dust can cause tissue swelling, mucous secretion and inflammation. This is often cause caused by histamine, a chemical that causes increased capillary permeability, affecting blood osmolarity. Antihistamines act on histamine or counteract these effects and restore homeostatic conditions.
Allergens can also cause anaphylactic shock, an acute allergic response. If blood vessels throughout the body suddenly dilate and blood fluids flow into the tissue, blood pressure can become dangerously low.Epinephrine is sometimes used to counteract this because it increases heart rate and causes blood vessels to constrict.
Allergens can also cause anaphylactic shock, an acute allergic response. If blood vessels throughout the body suddenly dilate and blood fluids flow into the tissue, blood pressure can become dangerously low.Epinephrine is sometimes used to counteract this because it increases heart rate and causes blood vessels to constrict.
How certain chemical processes impact homeostasis
Medical procedures can sometimes upset homeostasis. Chemotherapy is the use of chemicals as drugs to treat illness, and is often used to treat cancer.Because cancer is caused by unchecked cell growth, chemotherapy targets division to slow this growth. However, is cannot be targeted to just cancer cells and also affects other cells that divide quickly. This includes hair cells, cells lining the intestines, as well as white blood cells.
The body normally produces these cells at a rate sufficient to replace dying cells, maintaining a homeostatic balance in the body. Chemotherapy limits cell growth, preventing cells from being properly replenished and disrupting physiological processes.
The body normally produces these cells at a rate sufficient to replace dying cells, maintaining a homeostatic balance in the body. Chemotherapy limits cell growth, preventing cells from being properly replenished and disrupting physiological processes.