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Homeostasis and Homeostatic Regulatory/Control Mechanisms

Define homeostasis. Add a note on gain control of feedback mechanism. Explain with example positive and negative feedback mechanisms.

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Moiz
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126 views

Homeostasis and Homeostatic Regulatory/Control Mechanisms

Define homeostasis. Add a note on gain control of feedback mechanism. Explain with example positive and negative feedback mechanisms.

Uploaded by

Moiz
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Define homeostasis.

Add a note
on gain control of feedback
mechanism. Explain with
example positive and negative
feedback mechanisms.

Homeostasis:
 "Homeostasis" term was coined by Walter F. Cannon in 1929.

 It describes the maintenance of nearly constant environment in milieu intérieur


(internal environment) which is ECF.

 It is an integrated process involving essentially all organs and organ systems


of human body such as after cells, tissues - nervous, hormonal and local
control systems.

 Disease is often considered to be state of disrupted homeostasis. Even in the


presence of disease, homeostasis mechanisms continue to operate and
maintain vital functions through multiple compensations.

 The discipline of pathophysiology seeks to explain how various physiological


processes are altered in disease or injury.

 Human internal body temperature is a great example of homeostasis. When


body temperature decreases to less than 37°C(normal human body
temperature), the body shivers to maintain the normal of temperature. When
body temperature increases to more than 37°C the body starts sweating.

Note on gain control of feedback mechanism:


 It is the quantification of the efficiency of homeostatic regulatory mechanism.
It is the degree of effectiveness with which a control system stabilises itself.

Define homeostasis. Add a note on gain control of feedback mechanism. Explain with example positive and
1
negative feedback mechanisms.
 Gain = Correction applied by the homeostatic regulatory mechanism /
Residual error

 Higher the gain, more efficient is the homeostatic regulatory mechanism.

 Example: 1 Kidney-body fluids homeostatic mechanism in the regulation of


blood pressure has gain of infinity (zero error). 2 Temperature regulating
system has gain of '33'. 3 Baroreceptor system has gain of '2'.

Negative feedback mechanism:


 Most control systems in the body are balanced with the help of -ve feedback
mechanism.

 Processes occur in opposite to the change to nullify the effect of change. So


error is minimised.

 Example: In arterial pressure-regulating mechanisms a high pressure cause


series of reactions that promote a lowered pressure, or a low pressure causes
a series of reactions that promote elevated pressure. In both instances these
effects are -ve with respect to the initiating stimulus. Thus -ve feedback
mechanism returns the factor towards mean value if some factor becomes
excessive or deficient, thus maintaining homeostasis.

 Another example is of constant body temperature maintenance with the help


of negative feedback mechanism.

Positive feedback mechanism:


 It is not that much common in body and hence there are very few examples
of it.

 It can be both advantageous or disadvantageous. It is better known as


"vicious cycle" because error is amplified in +ve feedback mechanism.

 Examples when harmful: Due to decreased blood pressure (cardiac output)


there is decrease in perfusion of myocardium which in turns lead to
decreased B.P/CO due to positive feedback and it can lead to death if not
counterbalance by -ve feedback mechanism.

 Examples when useful: At the time of parturition fetus is pushed against


cervix, and oxytocin is released. Due to +ve feedback mechanism more of

Define homeostasis. Add a note on gain control of feedback mechanism. Explain with example positive and
2
negative feedback mechanisms.
oxytocin is released and thus parturition is completed.

 All +ve feedbacks end with negative feedback, i.e. all the positive feedback
should be seen as a part of larger negative feedback mechanism.

Define homeostasis. Add a note on gain control of feedback mechanism. Explain with example positive and
3
negative feedback mechanisms.

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