Homeostasis and Physiological Feedback Vocabulary

Vocabulary terms covering the fundamental components of homeostatic control systems, feedback loops, and metabolic regulation.

Set Point

The target value or range at which a physiological system functions to maintain health.

Negative Feedback

A regulatory mechanism in which a stimulus triggers a response that counteracts the original change to maintain homeostasis.

Positive Feedback

A control mechanism that intensifies or amplifies a physiological change rather than reversing it, often to drive a process to completion.

Stimulus

A detectable change in the internal or external environment that initiates a biological response.

Sensor

A receptor or component that monitors the environment and detects changes in physiological variables.

Control Center

The component that processes information from the sensor, compares it to the set point, and signals the effector.

Effector

An organ, gland, or muscle that carries out the response dictated by the control center to restore or alter conditions.

Cascade

A series of sequential biological events or signaling pathways where one step triggers the next.

Homeostatic Imbalance

A failure in the body's ability to maintain stable internal conditions, potentially leading to disease.

Hypothalamus

A region of the brain that acts as the primary control center for many homeostatic functions, such as temperature regulation.

Vasodilation

The widening of blood vessels, which increases blood flow and aids in the dissipation of body heat.

Vasoconstriction

The narrowing of blood vessels, which decreases blood flow to conserve body heat.

Oxytocin

A hormone that functions in positive feedback loops, such as during labor to stimulate uterine contractions.

Insulin

A hormone produced by the pancreas that lowers blood glucose levels by facilitating cellular sugar uptake.

Glucagon

A hormone produced by the pancreas that raises blood glucose levels by stimulating the release of stored sugar.