Homeostasis and Feedback Control

Front

What is homeostasis?

Back

Homeostasis refers to the processes that keep the internal conditions of the body within certain narrow limits.

Front

What factors must be kept within preset limits for homeostasis?

Back

Body temperature, blood pH, blood glucose concentration, and blood osmotic concentration.

Front

Which systems are responsible for homeostatic control mechanisms?

Back

The nervous system and the endocrine system.

Front

How do the nervous and endocrine systems coordinate activities in the body?

Back

They coordinate activities by sending electrical impulses (messages) or chemical messages, respectively.

Front

What is feedback control in the context of homeostasis?

Back

Feedback control is the use of information about the outcome of a process in the body to make decisions about the future of that process.

Front

What are the types of feedback control?

Back

Positive feedback and negative feedback.

Front

What is negative feedback?

Back

In a negative feedback process, an increase or decrease in a factor or variable sets off mechanisms that restore that factor back to the original.

Front

What is positive feedback?

Back

In a positive feedback process, an increase or decrease in a factor or variable sets off mechanisms that further increase or decrease that factor further away from the original.