Cellular Function in Health and Disease, Essay Example

Function of the Cell and Homeostasis

The term homeostasis refers to maintaining a stable condition on the internal part of a multi-cellular organism. This internal fluid which is around every cell hence homeostasis deals particularly with the external environment surround the cell. Each cell in our body needs the external fluid interstitial fluid to be the right temperature to carry on daily activities and excrete wastes. The messages are carried through the cell membranes that send message to the hypothalamus gland in the brain that a change needs to be made in the interstitial fluid. Since conditions are constantly changes inside of our body the homeostasis must change to adapt to the conditions set forth. The constant changing internal process is the homeostasis process of the cell.

Discussion of Cellular Stress and Body Adaptation

“Cellular stress response (heat stress response) protects an organism from organisms from damage resulting from environmental stressors such as heat, UV light, trace metals, and xenobiotics. Stress genes are activated to rapidly synthesize stress proteins, which are highly conserved in biological evolution and play similar roles in organisms from bacteria to humans.” (“Chemistry of Life”). When an organism becomes environmentally stressed “stress proteins protect and repair vulnerable protein targets, and play a role in the proteasomal and ubiquitin protein degradation pathways (for removal of unsalvageable proteins) [diags. 1, 2, 3]. Stress proteins assist in the folding, translocation, and assembly of other proteins, so many stress proteins are also called molecular chaperones. However, not all stress proteins are chaperones and, conversely, not every molecular chaperone is a stress protein.” (“Chemistry of Life”). Hsp70 and cpn60 families are forced to perform dual roles in protein protection and repair.

Stress appears to impede the clearance of fat molecules in the body. “Some evidence suggests that repeated release of stress hormone produces hyperactivity in the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal axis and disrupts normal levels of serotonin, the nerve chemical that is critical for feelings of well-being.” (“Stress”).Research shows that when men lose control over a stressful situation it can lead to heart disease.

References

Chemistry of Life (2006) Retrieved October 3, 2009 from, http://chemistryolife.blogspot.com/2007/12/cellular-stress-response.html

Stress (2009) Retrieved October 3, 2009 from, http://adam.about.com/reports/000031_2.htm