Homeostasis

HOMEOSTASIS is the maintenance of a STABLE INTERNAL ENVIRONMENT in the body.

It's how your body keeps CONDITIONS just right for your cells to work at their best, despite what's happening outside or inside your body.

Examples of conditions that need to be kept constant are:

• BODY TEMPERATURE
• BLOOD GLUCOSE LEVELS
• WATER CONTENT

Your body needs to keep conditions STEADY for ENZYME ACTION and to keep cells functioning properly. These conditions are kept constant by using AUTOMATIC CONTROL SYSTEMS that require both NERVOUS and HORMONAL responses.

Components of Control Systems:

All of the automatic control systems in the body have the following features:

1. RECEPTORS:

They DETECT STIMULI (changes in the environment) and can be used to find out when levels (like glucose or temperature) are too high or too low.

2. COORDINATION CENTRES:

These RECEIVE INFORMATION from receptors and organise a RESPONSE.

Examples of these are the BRAIN, SPINAL CORD, and PANCREAS.

3. EFFECTORS:

These can either be a MUSCLE or a GLAND.

They carry out the RESPONSE to restore the optimum levels for the condition.