Homeostasis | Bioscience | Essay

Running head: BIOSCIENCE 1
Bioscience
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BIOSCIENCE 2
Homeostasis is the process by which the body maintains as a steady-state in the internal
environment despite the environmental changes in the outside world and this is arrived at by
regulation of conditions of both chemical and physical by the body living systems. The form of
homeostasis performed by the body towards temperature regulation is called thermoregulation.
There is a need to maintain constant body temperature to a point almost equal to the optimum
temperature with reasons being to enhance effective actions of important enzymes in the body.
These enzymes carry out essential biochemical reactions that help in keeping a constant flow of
metabolites produced including biomolecules required for the synthesis of macromolecules.
Many enzymes carry out their reactions at specified optimum temperatures, for example, the
enzymes which are necessary for glucose metabolism during glycolysis require a specific
temperature. When the temperatures are so high above the optimum one, the enzymes become
denatured and hence lose their appropriate functions. If the body temperature goes too much
below the optimum and becomes too cold, the enzymes are inactivated and become ineffective to
perform the intended functions lead to very slow reactions hence interferes with the normal
biochemical processes (Marieb, Hoehn & Katja, 2019).
A decreased external temperature causes a decrease in the body’s internal temperature.
When this occurs, a series of responses are activated leading to inversion of the reduced body
temperature which helps elevate the body temperature hence maintaining a constant temperature.
This is largely done by the hypothalamus through the induction of the thermogenic response via
the posterior hypothalamus. During the cold temperatures when the internal body temperature
goes way down, the posterior hypothalamus is stimulated to activate the thermogenic response
which sends signals to the muscles which encourage the shivering process which helps in
producing heat due to the vigorous muscle activity. It also sends signals to various organs