Homeostasis: Mechanism, Regulation, and Importance

Running head: HOMEOSTASIS
HOMEOSTASIS
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

1
HOMEOSTASIS
Introduction
The physiologist uses the term homeostasis in order to define the process of the
maintenance of nearly constant condition in the internal environment. Nearly all the tissues
and the organs of the body perform this functions that help to maintain this constant condition
(Hall, 2017). The following essay with emphasize the detail mechanism of homeostasis under
the light of the regulation of endocrine glands, osmo-regulation and urinary systems. The
essay will also help to understand how homeostasis helps to provide freedom of activity from
dependence upon the changes in the external environment. At the end, the essay will discuss
the effect of the malfunction of the homeostasis and importance of homeostasis in pregnant
women.
Discussion
Role of hormones in homeostasis
Endocrine system plays an important role in controlling and coordinating the process
of homeostasis with the body. The hormones secreted from the endocrine glands are
transported as the extracellular fluid to all parts of the body in order to regulate the cellular
function and at the same time helps to regulate the process of homeostasis for example, the
thyroid hormone and insulin (Hall, 2017).
Insulin is secreted by the beta-cells of the islet of Langerhans of the pancreas in
response of the glucose molecule in the blood circulation. The antagonist of insulin hormone
is glucagon, which is also produce by the pancreas. Glucagon aids in the process of the
glucose production and its subsequent release in the bloodstream on the other hand, insulin
promotes the absorption of the glucose molecule from the blood stream to inside the hepatic
cells (Hall, 2017). When the glucose concentration within the blood stream exceeds the

2
HOMEOSTASIS
normal threshold value, the secretion of glucagon is inhibited and insulin is secreted from the
pancreas. The inhibition of the glucagon synthesis inhibits the glucose production by
glycolysis and promotes subsequent uptake of glucose into the hepatic cells by insulin. This
regulation of the glucose production and uptake by the interplay of insulin and glucagon help
to regulate the body temperature (Hall, 2017). Disruption in the equilibrium of the synthesis
of the insulin and the glucagon molecule might lead to the development of hypoglycemia.
Hypoglycemia is an abnormal state of mind and in order to adjust the body under limited
availability of glucose, the hypothalamus of the brain reduce the body temperature,
hypothermia. Hypothermia is characterized by decrease in the blood pressure, pulse rate and
the respiratory rate (Kenny, Sigal & McGinn, 2016).
Thyroid hormone is secreted from the thyroid glands located, below the larynx. There
are two types of thyroid hormones thyroxine (T4) and triiodothyronine (T3) and the synthesis
of the thyroid hormone is regulated by thyroid stimulating hormone from the anterior
pituitary. The role of the thyroid hormone is to activate the nuclear receptors to promote cell
signaling and to aid in several metabolic activities like glucose absorption, gluconeogeneisis,
glycogenolysis. Absence of the secretion of the thyroid hormone leads to disruption in the
basic metabolic activity in the body leading to deficiency in the glucose production leading to
development of hypothermia (Hall, 2017).
Role of thermoregulation in freedom of activity from dependence upon change in the
external environment
The mechanism of the generation of heat within the body helps to keep the body
warm under the cold climatic environment and this mechanism is non-shivering
thermogenesis. In this mechanism, there occurs generation of heart within the body in
response to the cold stress in the external environment. This type of thermogenesis is mainly