Homeostasis is a fundamental property of living organisms, defined as the ability to maintain a relatively stable internal environment in response to changes in the external environment. It involves the regulation of various physiological processes such as temperature, pH, and the concentration of various ions and molecules.
At a molecular level, homeostasis is achieved through the action of various enzymes, hormones and other signalling molecules that act as sensors, effectors and regulators of physiological processes. For example, enzymes such as carbonic anhydrase act as catalysts in the regulation of pH by controlling the balance of carbonic acid and bicarbonate ions in the blood. Hormones such as insulin and glucagon act as regulators of blood glucose levels by stimulating the uptake and release of glucose from the liver and muscle tissue.
At a cellular level, homeostasis is achieved through the action of various transport proteins that control the flow of ions and molecules across the cell membrane. For example, the sodium-potassium pump uses energy from ATP to pump sodium ions out of the cell and potassium ions into the cell, maintaining the proper balance of ions inside and outside the cell.
At a systems level, homeostasis is achieved through the coordinated action of various organ systems such as the nervous and endocrine systems. The nervous system uses electrical and chemical signals to quickly respond to changes in the environment, while the endocrine system uses hormones to regulate long-term physiological processes. For example, the sympathetic nervous system activates the "fight or flight" response by increasing heart rate and blood pressure in response to stress, while the endocrine system activates the "rest and digest" response by releasing hormones such as cortisol and adrenaline.
Overall, homeostasis is a complex process that involves the coordination of various physiological processes at different levels of organization, from molecules to organ systems. It is essential for the survival and well-being of living organisms and it's a fundamental concept in biology and medicine.
Homeostasis (Professor GE Billman)
Allostasis (dynamic equilibrium)
Not just humans, not just animals, plants and fungi share the homeostasis pattern. It is part of a successful genomes fundamental architecture.
It is fundamentally important that our bodily systems work in harmony to regulate our biological selves.
It's all about energy and time so use the simplest real world examples.
Energy comes in discrete lumps, physicists call the lumps quanta.
It also flows in time and space to its lowest entropy, its lowest place.
Energy is flowing from a higher energy state to a lower energy state. It moves in discrete lumps called quanta.
Energy does NOT flow when there is no energy gradient to follow.
So in simple terms homeostasis is a biological balancing act healthy humans automatically do all of the time.
The root of the balancing act is energy; +ve protons and -ve electrons.