Homeostatic Mechanism Essay Examples
Homoeostatic mechanism is the physiological mechanisms of the regulatory systems of a living body to maintain the optimum steady condition or homeostasis. In 1930 physician Walter Cannon used the term to describe the state of homeostasis in human body. Homoeostatic mechanism is inevitable and occurs naturally to keep of the internal environment of body at optimum steady state for survival. In human body the regulatory systems perform the homoeostatic mechanism to regulate body temperature, blood glucose, blood pressure, concentration of gas, and cellular fluid composition in normal level. The state of homeostasis is frequently disturbed due to different external and internal factors, and control systems in the body perform homoeostatic mechanism for restoration of a deviation.
When the homeostasis is disturbed, the regulatory systems of body counteract the disturbance, and restore the normal level by negative feedback. In a negative feedback the regulatory system responds in opposite to a change, to maintain the homeostasis. For example, in a calcium deficiency in blood, the parathyroid glands increase hormone secretion, and induce an increased supply of calcium from bones to maintain the normal calcium level in the blood.
On the other hand the positive feedback is the homoeostatic mechanism that destabilizes the homeostasis. For example, the oxytocin hormone secretion in childbirth stimulates the uterine contraction for the delivery of fetus.
Homoeostatic mechanism is performed by the coordinated action of endocrine and nervous system of the body. The endocrine system of the body release hormone to convey a signal to the nervous system of a state of deviation of homeostasis, and the nervous system send the message to the affected organ to counteract the situation. Maintenance and control of normal blood sugar level by pancreatic hormone secretion is an example of homoeostatic mechanism by the endocrine system in our body.
Reference:
Doherty, Brendan, and Colette Foudy. "Homeostasis - Part 1: Anatomy and Physiology."NursingTimes.net 4 Apr. 2006. Web. 8 Feb. 2015. http://www.nursingtimes.net/nursing-practice/specialisms/respiratory/homeostasis-part-1-anatomy-and-physiology/203292.article.
Rodolfo, Kelvin. "What Is Homeostasis?" Scientific American (2000). Web. 7 Feb. 2015. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/what-is-homeostasis/..
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