Self-regulation in biology - is one of the most important properties of living systems is the automatic installation and support of a certain level required for the normal functioning parameters.The essence of the process is that no external forces are not managers.Guiding change factors are formed within a self-regulating system and contribute to the creation of dynamic equilibrium.Arising in this process may be of a cyclic character, fading and resuming as folding or disappearance of certain conditions.
Self-regulation: the importance of biological term
any living system, from the cell and ending biogeocenosis constantly exposed to various external factors.Changing temperature conditions, humidity, food or tougher finishes interspecific competition - examples include mass.Thus the viability of any system depends on its ability to maintain a constant internal environment (homeostasis).It was to achieve such a goal, and there is self-regulation.The definition implies that changes in the environment are not direct impact factors.They are converted into signals that cause a particular imbalance and lead to the launch of self-regulation mechanisms, designed to bring the system back to a stable state.At each level, such interaction factors looks differently, so in order to understand what self-control, let them in more detail.
levels of organization of living matter
Modern science adheres to the concept that all the natural and social systems are objects.They consist of individual elements are constantly interacting on some laws.Living objects are no exception to this rule, they are also systems with its own internal hierarchy and multi-level structure.Moreover, the structure of it is an interesting feature.Each system can simultaneously be a member of a higher level and be a set (that is, all the same system) levels lower order.For example, the tree - an element of the forest while multicellular system.
In order to avoid confusion, in biology usually considered four basic levels of organization of living:
- molecular genetic;
- ontogenetic (organismic - from cells to humans);
- population-species;
- biogeocenotic (ecosystem level).
methods of self-regulation processes occurring at each of these levels look different scale used sources of energy and their results, but are similar in nature.At the heart of them are the same methods of self-regulation systems.Above all, this feedback mechanism.It is available in two versions: positive and negative.Recall that direct communication involves the transmission of information from one system component to another, reverse flows in the opposite direction from the second to the first.At the same time, and she and the other changes the state of the receiving component.
Positive feedback leads to the processes, which first reported the second element, fixed and continue to be carried out.A similar process is at the heart of any growth and development.The second element of the first ever signals the need to continue the same process.This disturbed the stability of the system.
main mechanism
other works negative feedback.It leads to the emergence of new changes, the opposite, which first reported the second element.As a result, eliminated and end processes, upset the balance, and the system becomes stable again.A simple analogy - iron work: a certain temperature is a signal to turn off the heating element.Negative feedback is the basis of all processes related to the maintenance of homeostasis.
Comprehensiveness
Self-regulation in biology - a process that pervades all of these levels.Its purpose - preservation of dynamic equilibrium of the internal environment.Because of the inclusiveness of the process at the center of so many fields of natural science is self-regulation.In biology, it cytology, physiology of animals and plants, the environment.Each of the disciplines involved in a separate level.Consider that such self-regulation, on the main stages of the organization alive.
intracellular level
In each cell to maintain a stable balance of the internal environment are mainly used chemical mechanisms.Among them, the main role is played in the regulation of gene control that affect the production of proteins.
cyclical nature of the processes easy to follow the example of enzymatic chains suppressed the final product.The objective of such entities in the processing of complex compounds into simpler.However, the end product is similar in structure to the first enzyme in the chain.This feature plays a key role in maintaining homeostasis.The product binds to the enzyme and inhibits its activity as a result of a strong change in the structure.This occurs only after the final substance concentrations exceeding the permissible level.As a result, it stops the fermentation process and the finished product is used by the cell for its own needs.After some time, the level of material falls below the permissible value.This is a signal to start the fermentation: the protein detaches from enzyme inhibition process stops and starts all over again.
increasing complexity in the nature of self-regulation is always based on the principle of feedback and generally proceeds in a similar scenario.However, at each successive level, there are factors that complicate the process.For cells important to the constancy of the internal environment, the preservation of certain concentrations of various substances.At the next level, the process of self-regulation designed to solve more problems.Therefore, multicellular organisms appear whole system to maintain homeostasis.This respiratory system, allocation, circulation and the like.The evolution of flora and fauna easily makes it clear that as the complexity of the structure and the external environment to improve the mechanisms of self-regulation.
organismal level
best to constant internal environment is maintained in mammals.Fundamentals of self-regulation and its implementation - is nervous and humoral system.Constantly interacting, they control the processes occurring in the body, promote the establishment and maintenance of dynamic equilibrium.The brain receives signals from the nerve fibers that are present in every part of the body.This also accumulating information from the endocrine glands.The relationship of the nervous and hormonal regulation contributes often virtually instantaneous restructuring of the processes.
Feedback
system work can be seen in the maintenance of blood pressure.All changes of this indicator capture specific receptors, which are located on the vessels.Increase or decrease the pressure effect on the tension of the walls of capillaries, veins and arteries.It is these changes and react receptors.The signal is transmitted to the vascular center, and from them come the "indication" as to adjust the tone of blood vessels and the heart.Plugs and system neuro-humoral regulation.As a result, the pressure returns to normal.It is easy to see that the basis of a coherent system of regulation is still the same feedback mechanism.
headed just
Self-regulation, the definition of certain adjustments in the activities of the body, is the basis of all the changes in the body, its reactions to external stimuli.Stress effects and constant stress can lead to hypertrophy of certain organs.Examples of this are developed muscles of athletes and increased light freediving enthusiasts.The impact of stress is often a disease.Hypertrophy of the heart - a frequent phenomenon in people diagnosed with obesity.It is the body's response to the need to increase the load on the pumping of blood.
mechanisms of self-regulation lie at the basis of physiological responses that occur when frightened.As blood is thrown great amount of the hormone adrenaline, which causes a number of changes: an increase in oxygen consumption, an increase in the amount of glucose, increased heart rate and the mobilization of the musculoskeletal system.The total balance is maintained due to repayment of the activity of other components, slows digestion, sexual reflexes disappear.
dynamic equilibrium
should be noted that homeostasis, at whatever level it may maintained, there is no absolute.All parameters of the internal environment are kept within a certain interval of values and constantly fluctuating.So talk about the dynamic equilibrium of the system.It is important that the value of the specific parameter does not go beyond the so-called corridor fluctuations, otherwise the process can become pathological.
Sustainability and self-regulation ecosystem
Biogeocoenosis (ecosystem) consists of two interconnected structures: biocenosis and biotope.The first is the totality of living beings of this area.Biotope - the factors nonliving environment inhabited by the biocenosis.The environment is constantly acting on the organisms are divided into three groups:
- abiotic environmental factors: temperature, light, humidity and other elements of inanimate nature;
- biotic environmental factors: the influence of one organism to the other, separated by competition, symbiosis, parasitism and predation;
- anthropogenic environmental factors - human impact.
Saving homeostasis means the welfare of the organisms under conditions of constant exposure to the changing external environment and internal factors.Supportive biogeocoenosis self-regulation is primarily based on a system of trophic relations.They are a relatively closed chain by which energy flows.Producers (plants and hemobakterii) get it from the sun or chemical reactions created with the help of organic matter, which feed on consumers (various herbivores, carnivores, omnivores) several orders of magnitude.At the last stage of the cycle are decomposers (bacteria, some species of worms) that decompose organic matter into its constituent elements.Again they are introduced into the system in the form of food for producing.
Persistence cycle is provided by the fact that each level has several species of living beings.A roll of a chain of some of them is a replacement for a similar in function.
Exposure
Maintaining homeostasis is accompanied by constant exposure to the outside.Me around ecosystem conditions lead to the need to adjust internal processes.There are several criteria for sustainability:
- and balanced high reproductive potential of individuals;
- individual organisms to adapt to changing environmental conditions;
- diversity and branched food chain.
These three conditions are conducive to the maintenance of the ecosystem in a state of dynamic equilibrium.Thus, at the level of autoregulation biogeocoenose biology - a reproduction specimens maintaining the number and resistance to environmental factors.Thus, as in the case of individual organism, the system balance can not be absolute.
concept of self-regulation of living systems described distributes laws and human communities and public institutions.Widely used its principles in psychology.In fact, it is one of the fundamental theories of modern science.
