The Importance of Homeostasis

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Homeostasis is the process of keeping an internal environment the same and many mechanisms are used to maintain this environment. The internal environment refers to the conditions inside the body such as blood, tissue fluids and metabolic processes .It provides a stable internal environment for organisms and for their cells. The skin, kidneys, liver, endocrine system, nervous system and sensory system all play a part in maintaining the internal environment with narrow limits. Negative Feedback A very important method the body uses to achieve homeostasis is negative feedback, it applies to almost all the systems in the body. Negative feedback is where various receptors and effectors cause a reaction to ensure certain conditions remain the same. It is an automatic, corrective mechanism within the body. An example of negative feedback is temperature control. If the blood temperature rises, a ‘heat gain’ centre in the brain sends nerve impulses to the skin, which causes vasodilation and sweating, which will cool down the blood. If the blood temperature falls, it stimulates a ‘heat loss’ centre in the brain which sends impulse to the skin, causing vasoconstriction and the cessation of sweating. These changes reduce heat loss from the skin. Temperature regulation The human body is able to regulate its own internal temperature. It is important that we keep out internal temperature between 37 and 38 degrees. This is important as everything in the body has a prime temperature it works at. Enzymes would denature if the body was to overheat and many other problems would occur. The Hypothalamus in the brain is the control centre where is acts as a receiver of messages when temperature changes. It detects the temperature from the blood running through it. The receptors used in negative feedback when it comes to temperature are called thermoreceptors. The skin is the main
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