1. Training Room 2

1.3. Page 4

HSS1010: Health Services Foundations

Training Room 2: Inside Out—How the Body Works

 

Homeostasis

 

This is a picture of a snowboarder sliding on a ridge.

Jupiterimages/Comstock/Thinkstock

One of the ways body systems work together is to maintain a constant environment no matter what is happening on the outside. Human bodies are faced with a constantly changing environment, on both the outside and the inside. Cells function best when conditions remain as consistent as possible.


Homeostasis works through what is termed negative feedback. Think about the thermostat in your house. It is set to a constant temperature. When the temperature outside goes down, your thermostat recognizes a change in the external environment and sends a signal to your furnace to turn on. Once the temperature in your house returns to the set temperature, another signal is sent to stop the furnace.


Homeostasis in your body is primarily controlled by your brain (nervous system) and your hormones (endocrine system). Some examples of homeostasis in your body are

  • temperature control
  • blood-sugar control
  • respiratory rate
  • blood pressure
  • water balance
  • detoxification
  • heart rate

View “Homeostasis” to see how homeostasis works to control your body temperature.

 

 
This is a playbutton for viewing the Homeostatis multimedia piece.


the tendency of an organism or cell to regulate its internal conditions, such as the chemical composition of its body fluids, so as to maintain health and functioning, regardless of outside conditions