Homeostasis Feedback and Body Essay Example For Students

Homeostasis: Feedback and Body Essay Homeostasis is a simple term which holds a large significance in the functionality of the human body. This essay will discuss and define this term. Explanation as to why homeostasis is important to be maintained and two examples of homeostasis relevant to its control mechanism will be stated in this essay as well. The word homeostasis was first introduced by Walter B. Cannon, an American physiologist, to describe the body’s ability to maintain relative stability of its internal conditions even though there were constant changes in the surroundings outside. (Marieb Hoehn, 2007). Thus, homeostasis is utterly defined as â€Å"the condition of equilibrium in the body’s internal environment due to the constant interaction of the body’s many regulatory processes†. (Tortora Derrickson, 2009, p. 8). Homeostasis has a dynamic state of balance, in which the body’s internal condition may vary, but only within a narrow range that is compatible with maintaining life. (Marieb Hoehn, 2007). The important concept here is that the body is continuously monitoring its internal state and takes action to rectify disruptions that threaten its normal functions. (Silverthorn, 2001) Humans are multicellular organism, which sits right at the top of the hierarchy of structural organization. The cell is the basic living unit of the body and each organ is a collective of many different cells held together by intercellular supporting structures. (Guyton Hall, 2006). Each type of cells usually differs from one another in order to adapt and serve their functionality; but ironically all cells are comparatively similar in a particular way as they share certain basic characteristics. These similarities of theirs are fundamentally the reason why it is important to maintain homeostasis. An adult human body is 60% fluid. Although most of this fluid, called the intracellular fluid, is inside the cells, one third of it fills the narrow spaces outside the cells. That fluid is identified as the extracellular fluid. (Guyton Hall, 2006). Extracellular fluid is always in constant motion, travelling throughout the body in the circulating blood. Ions and nutrients that make up the extracellular fluid are needed by cells to sustain cell life. Hence, all cells in essence live in the same environment – the extracellular fluid. In ddition, the proper functionality of body cells is also highly dependent on an accurate control of the composition of the extracellular fluid which surrounds them. (Guyton Hall, 2006; Tortora Dirrickson, 2009). For these reasons, the extracellular fluid is also known as the body’s internal environment. Extracellular fluid acts as a transition between the intracellular fluid inside cells and the organism’s exterior environment. As tolerances for much change is exceedingly low for cells of multicellular organisms, it therefore depends on the consistency of the extracellular fluid to maintain normal function. Because of extracellular fluid’s significant role, sophisticated physiological processes have been developed to keep its composition relatively stable. (Tortora Dirrickson, 2009; Silverthorn, 2001). When the extracellular fluid composition has an abnormal range, compensatory mechanisms activate in order to return the fluid to normal state. Homeostasis is of such importance because it is the body’s platform of balance to maintain health and preserve life. An important aspect of homeostasis is communication within the body. Organ systems do not work solely by themselves; cooperation between them is essential to promote the well being of the body. (Marieb Hoehn, 2007). The body’s regulating systems that can usually bring the internal environment back into balance is mainly done by the communication between the nervous and the endocrine system. These two regulating systems work either independently or together, using neural electrical impulses or blood- borne hormones respectively, as information carriers, to provide the needed corrective measures. (Tortora Dirrickson, 2009; Marieb Hoehn, 2007). Deming EssayAn example of positive feedback as a homeostatic mechanism is blood clotting. When a blood vessel is damaged, a whole series of reaction is set in motion to achieve hemostasis, meaning the stopping of bleeding. Three steps occur in rapid sequence during hemostasis: (1) Vascular spasm – constriction of damaged blood vessel; (2) Platelet plug formation – platelets are element found in blood and have an imperative role in the clotting process. Platelets form a temporary plug that seals the break in the damaged vessel. They cling themselves to the injured site and releases chemicals, initiating the positive feedback cycle that attracts more platelets to the area, building up the platelet plug which further reduce blood loss. (3) Coagulation or blood clotting – blood changes from liquid to gel form involving multistep process. ( Marieb Hoehn, 2007). Homeostasis is restored by which the blood volume is maintained with preventing blood loss. In conclusion, homeostasis means the maintenance of virtually steady conditions in the body’s internal environment. It is important to sustain life and keeping the body healthy. Efficiency of the regulating systems in correlation with the feedback system is essential for homeostatic control mechanism which is the negative and positive feedback mechanisms. Homeostasis can be witness not only in body temperature and blood volume maintenance but also in many other parts of the body. Homeostasis is of such importance that the disturbance of it and failure of compensation to restore it will result in illness or diseases. Word count: 1028 Bibliography Guyton, A. C. , Hall, J. E. (2006). Textbook Of Medical Physiology. Pennsylvania: Elsevier Saunders. Marieb, E. N. , Hoehn, K. 2007). Human Anatomy Physiology. San Francisco: Pearson Benjamin Cummings. Silverthorn, D. U. (2001). Human Physiology: an integrated approach. Upper Saddle River: Prentice Hall. Tortora, G. J. , Derrickson, B. (2009). Principles of Anatomy and Physiology. USA: John Wiley Sons Inc. Homeostasis. (n. d. ). In Wikipedia: The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from http://en. wik ipedia. org/wiki/Homeostasis DeRosnay, J. (1997, February 17). Homeostasis: resistance to change. Retrieved January 27, 2010, from Principia Cybertica Web: http://pespmc1. vub. ac. be/homeosta. html