Enantiostasis HELP! (1 Viewer)

[Akiheart]

Im a bit confused about enantiostasis, as in how is it different from homeostasis? From my understanding, enantiostasis also maintains appropriate salt balance for metabolic functioning (similar to homeostasis)

Also, are organisms residing in estuaries usu. osmoconformers or osmoregulators? =S

 

[domoku]

Here's an old thread I found I think it'll help

http://community.boredofstudies.org/156/maintaining-balance/30188/enantiostasis.html

 

[sinophile]

Im a bit confused about enantiostasis, as in how is it different from homeostasis? From my understanding, enantiostasis also maintains appropriate salt balance for metabolic functioning (similar to homeostasis)

Also, are organisms residing in estuaries usu. osmoconformers or osmoregulators? =S

All organisms need to adjust to changing conditions in their body to survive.

Enantiostasis is 'maintaining normal metabolic processes DESPITE changes in body conditions'. Homeostasis is 'maintaining normal metabolic processes BY keeping optimum body conditions'.

The main point of difference is that enantiostasis does not neccesarily try to mitigate changing conditions to maintain normal metabolism, unlike homeostasis.

As for your second question, it depends. If the organism uses homeostasis, its an osmoregulator, and vice versa.

 

[Spark_Coaching]

– DEFINITION: Enantiostasis is the maintenance of metabolic and physiological functions, in the absence of homeostasis, in an organism in response to variations in the environment.
– An estuary is where a river meets the sea, and freshwater mixes with saltwater
– In such an environment, the salinity levels are always changing dramatically.
– Organisms living in such an environment need to have mechanisms to cope with such changes in order to survive. The mechanisms are all collectively called enantiostasis.
– One strategy is to allow the body's osmotic pressure to vary with that of the environment. Organisms that do this are said to be osmoconformers (e.g. most marine invertebrates).
– Marine mammals and most fish are osmoregulators, maintaining homeostasis.
– Animals (like fish) can move to avoid changes (or shellfish opening and closing),
– Plants must have mechanisms to help them cope with these changing environmental conditions.
– One example of enantiostasis is when a change in salt concentration in the body fluid, which reduces the efficiency of an enzyme, is compensated for by a change in pH, which increases the efficiency of the same enzyme.