GENERAL PHYSIOLOGY

HOMEOSTASIS
ALL ABOUT HOMEOSTASIS
• Regulation and internal maintenance of the body
• The body works best when internal conditions are
within an acceptable range; homeostasis helps to
do this
KEY CONCEPT:
Homeostasis - regulation and maintenance of a
CONSTANT environment in the body
• Organ systems must also work together to
keep the organism healthy.
• There is no specific organ which controls
homeostasis.
• The skin, kidneys, liver, endocrine system,
nervous system and sensory system all play a
part in maintaining the internal environment
within narrow limits.
• The hypothalamus is involved
to a degree in each of these regulations

‘homeostasis’ – GREEK WORD

• Homeo- unchanging WHAT IS FEDDBACK?
• Stasis- standing
• Feedback is the process in which part of the output
• It is an organism’s internal environment which of a system is returned to its input in order to
‘stays the same regulate its further output.

NORMAL VALUE OF SUBSTANCES

FEEDBACK LOOPS
• Homeostasis controls internal conditions with
feedback loops
• NEGATIVE feedback loop – the product inhibits the
process that creates them
– Ex: control of body temperature, thermostat
– Common homeostatic mechanism
• POSITIVE feedback loop – the product amplifies the
process that creates them
– Ex: labor, global warming

• Sensors -gather data and detect changes
• Control center - receives data, sends messages,
usually the brain
• Communication system - delivers messages in
form of nerve impulses and hormones to target
organs, tissues
• Targets – organ, tissue or cell that responds to
change
NEGATIVE FEEDBACK
• Negative feedback occurs when the output of a
system acts to oppose changes to the input of the
system.
• A thermostat is an example of a negative
feedback system.
LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION
Negative feedback loops are necessary for homeostasis.
• Feedback compares current conditions to set
ranges.
• Negative feedback- counteracts change.
• Reverses any change and returns body to set point

FACTS ABOUT ORGAN SYSTEMS

1
 • SHIVERING
• Hypothalamus signals skin and muscular,
respiratory, and circulatory systems
• Blood vessels constrict to reduce blood flow to
prevent loss of heat
• Muscles contract around pores
• Muscles contract causing shivering
• Thyroid releases hormones that increase
• metabolism

THERMOREGULATION
ORGAN IN THE CHARGE ------------ BRAIN

NEGATIVE FEDDBACK

EXAMPLE OF HOMEOSTASIS • Hypothalamus scans temperature of blood as it

• Thermoregulation (temperature) passes through
• Osmoregulation (water) – Too high → blood vessels dilate, sweating
• Gas Exchange occurs
• Blood Glucose – Too low → blood vessels constrict, shivering
• Guard Cells
• Other examples:
– pH
– Blood pressure
– Hormone levels
– Metabolism

THERMOREGULATION
• process of maintaining a steady body temperature

SWEATING
• When your body is hot, sweat glands are
stimulated to release sweat.
• The liquid sweat turns into a gas (it evaporates)
• To do this, it needs heat.
• It gets that heat from your skin.
• As your skin loses heat, it cools down

2
 GAS EXCHANGE
ORGAN IN THE CHARGE ------------ LUNGS
ADH REGULATED WATER CONSERVATION IN
KIDNEYS • Oxygen-rich air (poor in CO2) is taken in during
inhalation; moves to alveoli
• Oxygen-poor blood (rich in CO2) vessels surround
the alveoli
• Passive transport moves the oxygen from alveoli
into the blood, CO2 from blood into the alveoli
• Oxygen delivered to cells through the blood
vessels; CO2 expelled during exhalation

REGULATION OF BLOOD GLUCOSE

ORGAN IN THE CHARGE ------------ PANCREAS

• - Blood sugar too high:

– Pancreas releases insulin; body cells take
in glucose and moves it to long term
storage in liver (glycogen)
• Blood sugar too low:
– Pancreas releases glucagon; stimulates
liver to break down stored glycogen (into
glucose) and release into bloodstream

GLUCOSE AND INSULIN NEGATIVE FEEDBACK

LOOP
CYCLE 1
1. BOY EATS CAKE
2. INCREASE GLUCOSE LEVELS
3. STIMULATES B-CELLS OF PANCREAS TO
SECRETE INSULIN
4. INSULIN STIMULATES THE CELLS TO TAKE UP
GLUCOSE FROM THE BLOOD
5. LOWERS BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS
6. (-) INCREASE GLUCOSE LEVELS

CYCLE 2
1. LOW BLOOD GLUSOSE LEVELS
2. STIMULATES ALPHA-CELLS IN PANCREAS
3. GLUCAGON IS RELEASED
4. GLUCAGON STIMULATES LIVER CELLS TO
WATER REGULATION RELEASE GLUCOSE INTO BLOOD
• After having a very salty meal 5. HIGHBLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS AND CYCLE 1
• produce concentrated urine to remove excess
CONTINUES
salts in solution form
6. (-) LOW BLOOD GLUSOSE LEVELS
• extra water is needed to be excreted along with
the excess salts
• sensation of thirst (drink more water to compensate
for the water

3
 POSITIVE FEDDBACK

• A positive feedback loop occurs when the output

of a system acts to enhance the changes to the
input of the system.

EXAMPLE OF BIOLOGICAL PF
- onset of contractions in childbirth
‐ When a contraction occurs, the hormone
oxytocin is released into the body, which
stimulates further contractions.
‐ This results in contractions increasing in
amplitude and frequency
- Blood clotting
‐ The loop is initiated when injured tissue releases
signal chemicals that activate platelets in the
blood.
‐ An activated platelet releases chemicals to
activate more platelets, causing a rapid cascade
and the formation of a blood clot.
- Lactation
‐ involves positive feedback so that the more the
baby suckles, the more milk is produced

WHEN COMPLETED (PF)

- once the purpose of the feedback loop is
completed, counter-signals are released that
suppress or break the loop.
1. Childbirth contractions stop when the baby is
out of the mother's body.
2. Chemicals break down the blood clot.
3. Lactation stops when the baby no longer
nurses