Homeostasis: Maintaining Internal Stability Through Feedback Loops

This essay provides a detailed explanation of homeostasis, defining it as the body's ability to maintain a stable internal environment despite external changes. It highlights the crucial roles of the nervous and endocrine systems in maintaining this equilibrium, with a specific focus on body temperature regulation. The hypothalamus is identified as the key control center for body temperature, and the essay elaborates on the negative feedback mechanisms involved in maintaining a constant internal temperature of 37 degrees Celsius. The process involves temperature-sensitive cells signaling the hypothalamus, which then stimulates sweat glands to cool the body through evaporation. The essay references Walter Cannon's definition of homeostasis and cites Marieb and Hoehn's work on human anatomy and physiology to support its explanations.

Running head: IMPORTANCE OF HOMEOSTASIS
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IMPORTANCE OF HOMEOSTASIS
Table of Contents
Part A:..............................................................................................................................................2
Question 1:.......................................................................................................................................2
An important aspect of homeostasis:...............................................................................................2
References:......................................................................................................................................4

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IMPORTANCE OF HOMEOSTASIS
Part A:
Question 1:
An important aspect of homeostasis:
Walter Cannon, an American physiologist of the early twentieth century defined
homeostasis, as the wisdom of body because of it’s the ability of the body to maintain the
relatively stable internal condition even though situation outside of the body changes
continuously (Jenkins, Kemnitz & Tortora, 2013). The nervous system of the human body is
highlighted as the key player in maintaining equilibrium inside the body. As discussed by
Marieb and Hoehn (2019) regulation of the body temperature is the only way of the nervous
system to maintain the internal stability of the body. The endocrine system is equally important
in maintaining the normal body temperature which further helps to maintain the homeostasis.
The communication through signals between these two key players is observed for maintaining
the homeostasis and keeping the body functional.
Inside the body, two variables maintain homeostasis of body such as blood glucose and
body temperature. A part of the brain, hypothalamus controls the internal temperature of the
body. Hypothalamus constantly checks the temperature of the body (37 degree C) and in case of
elevated temperature when the weather is sunny and temperature of the environment is high, the
homeostasis of the body is maintained by negative feedback regulation of the body (Jenkins,
Kemnitz & Tortora, 2013). The mechanism can be described below:
When a person experiences hot due to the sunny weather, a sudden rise of the normal
temperature of the body is observed in response to the stimuli which is heat, the homeostasis of

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the body disrupted (Marieb & Hoehn, 2019). To maintain homeostasis of the body, the receptor
of the body such temperature-sensitive cells in skin sent the signal to thermoregulatory center of
the body which is hypothalamus (Marieb & Hoehn, 2019). hypothalamus becomes hyperactive
and amplifies the signal through the efferent pathway (Marieb & Hoehn, 2019).Hypothalamus
determiners the threshold level at which level the variables are required to maintain. In response
to the hypothalamus, the sympathetic nervous system of the body stimulates the effectors of the
body which are eccrine sweat glands of the body that further secret the water to the skin surface
and reduce the elevated temperature of the body to normal temperature of body (Jenkins,
Kemnitz & Tortora, 2013). After evaporation of the sweat, the temperature immediately falls and
stimulus ends immediately ends and the temperature of the person reduced to 37 degree
Celsius.
Figure: Mechanism of homeostasis
Source: (Marieb & Hoehn, 2019).

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References:
Jenkins, G. W., Kemnitz, C. P., & Tortora, G. J. (2013). Anatomy and physiology: from science
to life. 3rd ed. Hoboken: Wiley.( p 9-13).
Marieb, E. N., & Hoehn, K. (2019). Human anatomy & physiology:11th (ed.) Harlow. .(p.1-22).