P5: Explain the Concept of Homeostasis.

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Homeostasis is the ability to maintain a constant internal environment in response to environmental changes. This is managed in the human body by a series of highly evolved and complex interactions that work to maintain or alter internal system to return to a normal and stable range that will best serve the individual’s needs; this range can be different depending on the physical and psychological functionality of the individual. This process is key to the survival of the individual as an inability to maintain homeostasis known as a homeostatic imbalance can lead to death usually through heart failure or can cause diseases such as diabetes and hypoglycaemia. There are 5 key parts of the body that help maintain homeostasis these are the liver, the kidneys, hypothalamus, the autonomic nervous system and the endocrine system. These work to maintain homeostasis in terms or heart rate, breathing rate, body temperature, blood glucose levels, iron levels and concentration of body fluids (blood water potential). Some of these are outlined below. Body temperature: through being warm-blooded thermoregulation is a key aspect human homeostasis. Thermoregulation works to keep the core body temperature around 38.6°C, if thermoregulation is inhibited and the core temperature of the body rises to 45°C the active sites in protein cells within the body will denature and stop functioning resulting in the death of the individual. Thermoregulation is controlled by the hypothalamus, using two sets of thermo receptors one set in the hypothalamus, these measure the temperature of the blood passing the brain (core temperature) and the other based in the skin to measure the external temperature both are needed for the body to make adjustments accordingly to maintain the body temperature. When the body temperature has decreased due to cold environments of the organism the change in
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