Physiology

Homeostasis

Presented by:
Ms Kanwal Qaiser

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Learning Objectives
Define homeostasis.
Describe the components of a feedback system.
Contrast the operation of negative and positive
feedback systems.
Explain how homeostatic imbalances are related to
disorders

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Definition of Homeostasis
Homeostasis (ho¯me¯-o¯-STA ¯ -sis; homeo-
sameness; -stasis standing still) is the condition of
equilibrium (balance) in the body’s internal
environment due to the constant interaction of the
body’s many regulatory processes.

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 Homeostasis is a dynamic condition.
In response to changing conditions, the body’s
equilibrium can shift among points in a narrow range
that is compatible with maintaining life.
For example, the level of glucose in blood normally
stays between 70 and 110 milligrams of glucose per 100
milliliters of blood.*

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 Terms
Extracellular fluids ( ECF): Fluid outside
body cells.

Intracellular fluids ( ICF) : Fluid inside body

cells.

Body’s internal environment……Interstitial

fluid.

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 Terms
External environment: The space that surrounds
our body.
• It is the source of oxygen and nutrients for our
body.
• Also waste products of cellular activity are
eventually excreted into the external
environment.
• Our body is protected from the effects of
external environment by the skin.

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 Terms
Internal environment: The environment that
provides a fluid-based medium for our body cells.
• It is the interstitial fluid that provides oxygen
and nutrients for cells.
• Waste products of cells are excreted here and
carried by the transport system to the excretory
organs.

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Terms
A selective permeable membrane called plasma
membrane controls the movement of molecules in
and out of the cell to regulate its internal
composition.

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 Homeostasis

Homeostasis (a Greek term meaning same

state). It is the maintenance of constant
conditions in the internal environment of
the body.

Homeostasis is the ability and tendency of

certain systems to maintain a relatively constant
internal state in spite of changes in external
conditions.

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 Homeostasis
 Although the term means unchanging
condition, but practically the physiological
variables (temperature, electrolytes, pH of body
fluids, blood pressure, etc) of the internal
environment are in dynamic state and kept
within a certain range.
All body systems respond to external and
internal changes and work together to maintain
a stable internal environment.

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Internal Components of Homeostasis/
Physiological Variables
pH of the internal environment
Concentration of nutrients and waste products
Concentration of salt and other electrolytes
Blood glucose level
Volume and pressure of extracellular fluid(Blood
pressure)
Blood and tissue oxygen and carbon dioxide levels

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Examples of Homeostasis
The regulation of the amounts of water and
minerals in the body. This is known as
osmoregulation. This happens in the kidneys.
The removal of metabolic waste. This is known
as excretion. This is done by the excretory organs
such as the kidneys and lungs.

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Examples of Homeostasis
The regulation of body temperature. This is
mainly done by the skin.
The regulation of blood glucose level. This is
mainly done by the liver and the insulin secreted
by the pancreas.

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Feedback mechanism
A mechanism that detect and respond to
changes in the internal environment to
maintain homeostasis.
A feedback mechanism has three
parts/components.
1. Detector(Receptor)
2.Control center
3.Effector

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Components of feedback mechanism
Detector/receptor: specialized structures i.e.
receptors (sensory,chemo,osmo,baro) that
receive information that something in the body's
internal environment is changing.

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Components of feedback
mechanism
Control center: Center that receives messages
from receptors about a change in the body's
internal conditions and relays messages to
effectors. In most homeostatic mechanisms, the
control center is the brain.

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Components of feedback
mechanism
Effector : A muscle , organ, or gland, that
receives messages from the control center to
change its function in order to correct a deviation
in the body's internal conditions.

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Operation of feed back system

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Types of feedback mechanism
Because the internal and external environment of
the body are constantly changing, adjustments
must be made to stay at or near the set point.
When a change of variable occurs, there are two
main types of feedback to which the system
reacts:

Negative feedback mechanism

Positive feedback mechanism
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Mechanisms of homeostasis: Negative feedback

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Negative feed back reverse a change in control conditions

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Negative Feedback mechanism
A reaction in which the system responds in
such a way as to reverse the direction of a
change or original stimulus.
In the negative feedback mechanism the effect of
the original stimulus is either decreased or
completely stopped by the response of the
effector, thus maintaining homeostasis.
Example: Maintenance blood pressure.

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Negative Feedback mechanism
When the body blood pressure falls below the
normal level. Specialized pressure sensitive
receptors called baro-receptors in the carotid
arteries are stimulated and detected the change.

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Negative Feedback mechanism
The information is carried by sensory nerves to a
control centre (cardiovascular centre) in the
brain, which then conveys message through
sympathetic nerves to the heart.
The effector (heart) increases the rate of its
beating. The increased heart rate maintains the
blood pressure to a normal level.

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Negative Feedback mechanism
The stimulus to the baro-receptor is inhibited
(stopped). Vasomotor centre of the brain receives
no signals and thus do not convey any message to
the heart. So the heart rate returns to its normal.

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Negative Feedback mechanism
Similarly Thermal regulation is also achieved
through negative feedback :
The skeletal muscles can shiver to produce heat if
the body temperature is too low.
Sweating cools the body with the use of
evaporation when the body temperature gets
high. .

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Negative Feedback mechanism

Negative Feedback in the Control of Body

Temperature. 28
 Other Examples
Chemical regulation
The pancreas produces insulin and glucagon to
control blood-sugar concentration.
The lungs take in oxygen and give off carbon
dioxide.
The kidneys remove urea, and adjust the
concentrations of water and a wide variety of
ions.
Most of these organs are controlled by hormones
secreted from the pituitary gland, which in turn is
directed by the hypothalamus.
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 Positive Feedback mechanism
In Positive feedback The response of the effector
increases the stimulus ( change in the variable),
further speeding up the response.

Positive feedback is less common in naturally

occurring systems than negative feedback, but it
has its applications.
Blood clotting and uterine contraction in
childbirth are examples of positive feedback.

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 Positive Feed Back

Positive feed back tend to strengthen a change in one

of the body control conditions 31
 Positive Feedback mechanism

When the baby reaches its full term inside the

uterus, the hormone oxytocin produces
contractions in the uterus.
Contractions force the baby’s head into the
cervix of the uterus, stimulating stretch
receptors there.

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Positive Feedback mechanism
In response to this more oxytocin is released,
further increasing the contractions and
maintaining labour until the baby is born.
After the birth of the baby the stretching in the
cervix stops and the hormone oxytocin returns to
normal level.

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Another example of positive feedback is what
happens to your body when you lose a great deal of
blood. Under normal conditions, the heart pumps
blood under sufficient pressure to body cells to
provide them with oxygen and nutrients to maintain
homeostasis.
Upon severe blood loss, blood pressure drops and
blood cells (including heart cells) receive less oxygen
and function less efficiently.

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If the blood loss continues, heart cells become
weaker, the pumping action of the heart decreases
further, and blood pressure continues to fall.
This is an example of a positive feedback cycle that
has serious consequences and may even lead to death
if there is no medical intervention.

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 Harmful Positive Feedback mechanism

Although Positive Feedback is needed within

Homeostasis, it does not always bring
homeostasis.
It also can be harmful at times. For instance when
you have a high fever it causes a metabolic
change that can push the fever higher and
higher.

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 Advantages of Homeostasis
Our survival depends on the homeostasis. We
can adapt to a changing environment.
The body will attempt to maintain a normal, the
desired level of a factor to achieve homeostasis.

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Advantages of Homeostasis
However, it can only work within tolerable limits,
where extreme conditions can disable the
negative feedback mechanism
In these instances, death can result, unless
medical treatment is executed to bring about the
natural occurrence of these feedback mechanisms

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 Factors Affecting Homeostasis
Nutrition
Toxin
Physical:
 Psychological
Genetic
Medical

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Nutrition: If your diet is lacking in a specific
vitamin or mineral your cells will function
poorly, possibly resulting in a disease condition.
For example, a menstruating woman with
inadequate dietary intake of iron will become
anemic.

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Toxin: Any substance that interferes with cellular
function, causing cellular malfunction. For
instance drug overdose can cause change in vital
signs resulting into death.

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Physical maintenance: Adequate rest, sunlight,
and exercise are examples of physical mechanisms
for influencing homeostasis. Lack of sleep is
related to a number of ailments such as irregular
cardiac rhythms, fatigue, anxiety and headaches.

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Psychological: Your physical health and mental health
are inseparable. Our thoughts and emotions cause
chemical changes to take place either for better as with
meditation, or worse as with stress.
Genetic: Inheriting strengths and weaknesses
can be part of our genetic makeup. For example
diabetes and hypertension run in families.

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Medical: Medical treatment can help in
correcting homeostatic imbalance. It may also
some time worsen the situation. For example
antibiotics can treat infections, but it may cause
other side effects.

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Homeostatic Condition

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Factors Disrupting Homeostasis

Tanveer Saeed

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Homeostatic Imbalances
As long as all the body’s controlled conditions remain
within certain narrow limits, body cells function
efficiently, negative feedback systems maintain
homeostasis, and the body stays healthy.
 If the homeostatic imbalance is moderate, a disorder
or disease may occur; if it is severe, death may result.

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A disorder is any abnormality of structure or
function.
Disease is a more specific term for an illness
characterized by a recognizable set of signs and
symptoms.
 A local disease affects one part or a limited region of
the body; a systemic disease affects either the entire
body or several parts of it.

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Diseases alter body structures and functions in
characteristic ways.
 A person with a disease may experience symptoms,
subjective changes in body functions that are not
apparent to an observer.
Examples of symptoms are headache, nausea, and
anxiety.

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Objective changes that a clinician can observe and
measure are called signs.
 Signs of disease can be either anatomical, such as
swelling or a rash, or physiological, such as fever, high
blood pressure, or paralysis

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