preview

Homeostasis: Negative Feedback Mechanisms

Decent Essays

Homeostasis, as defined by the oxford dictionary is the ‘tendency towards a relatively stable equilibrium between interdependent elements, especially maintained by physiological processes.’ Mammals must maintain a stable internal environment to allow all of the necessary biological and physiological processes to take place. Homeostasis is the biological process used to keep the internal environment of animals and humans stable. Homeostasis is achieved through positive and negative feedback mechanisms, which detect changes in the internal environment away from the optimum state, and send out biological messages to let the body know how to react so the internal environment will return to the optimum state. Majority of the biological processes …show more content…

Blood glucose levels are controlled by a negative feedback mechanism. Negative feedback mechanisms detect a change away from the normal internal environment and sends messages to the control centre, letting certain cells know to release a certain hormone to reverse the changes, taking the internal environment back to its original state. Blood sugar levels must be kept constant as every cell in our body runs off glucose. If our blood glucose levels fall too low, some cells may die due to the inconsistent supply of fuel, and they are unable to complete the necessary biological processes to survive. Only liver and muscle cells have the ability to store glucose, however only liver cells can release glucose into the blood stream if necessary. If blood glucose levels get too high, it could cause damage to the blood vessels, which could affect circulation and could also lead to blindness or the need for an …show more content…

The Alpha cells are specific glucose level receptors for detecting a drop in the blood glucose levels. The alpha cells are stored in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans, and when they sense a drop in the blood glucose concentration, the pancreas secretes glucagon into the bloodstream. Glucagon sends messages to the liver that stimulates the breakdown of glycogen, releasing stored glucose into the bloodstream. The beta cells detect a rise in the blood glucose levels. Found in the pancreatic islets of Langerhans, the beta cells store and release insulin which sends messages to the muscles and fat cells, and allows these cells to absorb glucose as a

Get Access