Homeostasis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Homeostasis - Essay Example As body needs to respond to any disturbance in the internal milieu very quickly therefore initial response of the body is a reflex response usually takes place through peripheral controlling systems, especially nervous system. Failure of homeostasis causes diseases disease and sometimes death. Major systems controlling homeostasis in the body are nervous system and endocrine system. These systems have got their own specific characteristics which make them integral components which help maintain homeostasis: There are some physiological set points related to various systems in the body. Whenever there is disturbance to these set points body responds to this change and tries to bring the situation back to normal. This reversal of disturbance or change is necessary to keep an individual healthy and alive. Some of these conditions or parameters are: Central nervous system (CNS), autonomic nervous system (ANS) and endocrine systems work together to maintain these parameters within normal limits. Any change in the set points is detected and recognized by these systems and efficiently maintained by these systems with the help of feedback system. ... 6. Adrenal medulla: adrenaline - adaptation to stress; 7. Pancreas: insulin - regulation of blood glucose level. Physiological set points There are some physiological set points related to various systems in the body. Whenever there is disturbance to these set points body responds to this change and tries to bring the situation back to normal. This reversal of disturbance or change is necessary to keep an individual healthy and alive. Some of these conditions or parameters are: Body temperature: regulated close to 37 C Blood pH: kept at 7.4 Arterial blood pressure: maintained around 120/80 mm Hg Maintenance of blood glucose level Maintenance of fluids and salts, osmoregulation Central nervous system (CNS), autonomic nervous system (ANS) and endocrine systems work together to maintain these parameters within normal limits. Any change in the set points is detected and recognized by these systems and efficiently maintained by these systems with the help of feedback system. Initially, most of the time, nervous control takes this initiative of maintaining homeostasis o short term basis; afterwards, endocrine system takes the responsibility of responding change in the internal milieu. Homeostatic system functions following the "feedback mechanisms". Although, negative feedback system is utilized most of the time but in a limited number of situations positive feedback also gets itself involved (Wikipedia 2007; Biology Online). All feedback systems work in a systematic and well organized way, the major components of a feedback systems are: Sensors; Signal transmitters; Control center and Effectors. Sensors are directly involved in the situation, which disturb the internal environment of the body they relay signals to the central