Homeostasis (OCR GCSE Biology A (Gateway Science Suite)): Revision Notes
📚 Revision Notes
5.2.1 Homeostasis
infoNote
Homeostasis is the maintenance of a constant internal environment. Mechanisms are in place to keep optimum conditions despite internal and external changes. This is needed for enzyme action and all cell functions.
In the human body, homeostasis controls:
- Blood glucose concentration
- Body temperature
- Water levels
Nervous and hormonal communication is involved in the automatic control systems, which detect changes and respond to them.
All control systems have:
- Receptors cells that detect stimuli (changes in the environment)
- Coordination centres process the information received from the receptors, e.g. brain, spinal cord and pancreas
- Effectors bring about responses to bring the conditions in the body back to optimum levels, e.g. muscles or glands