Maintaining Body Temperature

• Structures in the skin involved in temperature regulation


  • blood capillaries and arterioles
  • Sweat glands
  • Sensory receptors

  
• Blood vessels (capillaries and arterioles)


  • Present under the surface of the skin to supply blood to the skin
  • Contraction and dilation of the arterioles help to regulate body temperature
  • Vasodilation: When arterioles dilate, more blood flows to the skin surface causing the skin to turn red
  • Vasoconstriction: When arterioles constrict, less blood flows to the skin surface causing the skin to turn pale
• Sweat Glands


  • Secrete sweat which flows through the sweat duct and sweat pore to the skin surface
  • Sweat is a means by which the skin regulates body temperature as when sweat evaporates from the body surface, it removes heat from the body
• Sensory Receptors


  • Structures in the body that detect changes in the body environment
  • Receptors that detect changes in temperature are known as temperature receptors
• How Does the Body Gain Heat?

  • Metabolic activities such as respiration within the body
  • Vigorous physical activities
  • Consumption of hot food and drinks
  • Being in warm environments
• How Does the Body Lose Heat?

  • From the skin surface through convection, radiation and conduction
  • Evaporation of sweat
  • Faeces and urine
  • Air that is exhaled
• Regulation of Body Temperature


  • Hypothalamus monitors and regulates body temperature
  • It receives information from thermoreceptors on the skin surface which detect temperature in the external environment and thermoreceptors in the hypothalamus which detect temperature of the blood