Homeostasis

The maintenance of a relatively stable internal

environment within the body despite external
changes
Various organs are able to detect the changes and
respond to them to reduce their effect on the body
Negative feedback occur when the response
reverses or inhibits the stimulus and leads to
homeostasis
Example, when human body temperature is below
than normal, 37 0C
 Mechanisms to produce and conserve heat

The erection of hairs on the skin (trap a layer of

air close to the body
Vaso-constriction - Restricting the flow of blood
to the skin by constriction of pre capillary
sphincters which forces more blood through
‘shunt’ vessels , divert blood away from the
capillaries in the skin
Increasing the rate of metabolism
Involuntary shivering of various parts of the body
 Mechanisms that help to loose heat

• Flattened hairs or feathers

• Vasodilation – the sphincters around the capillaries
in the skin tend to be dilated, blood flow to the skin
increased, more heat lost
• Sweat gland produce a solution and secrete it onto
the surface of the skin, from which water evaporate
and cools down the skin
• Metabolism rate decreased
• Stimulus receptor transmission

• negative response effector

feedback