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Anatomy & Physiology vocabulary · Physiological Processes

Homeostasis

Meaning in anatomy & physiology, with examples

/ˌhoʊmioʊˈsteɪsɪs/nounCore term

In anatomy & physiology, homeostasis means: The body's ability to keep its internal conditions, such as temperature, blood sugar and water balance, fairly stable even when the outside environment changes.

In Turkish: homeostaz, iç denge

How it is used

A key idea in every physiology course. Exam questions ask how the body maintains homeostasis and what happens when it is disrupted. It works mostly through negative feedback loops controlled by the nervous and endocrine systems.

Example sentences

  1. Sweating on a hot day helps to maintain homeostasis by cooling the body.

  2. Explain how the kidneys contribute to the homeostasis of water and salt.

Common collocations

  • maintain homeostasis
  • disrupt homeostasis
  • restore homeostasis
  • glucose homeostasis
  • negative feedbackA control system in which a change in the body triggers a response that reverses the change and brings conditions back toward a set point. It is the main way homeostasis is maintained.
  • physiologyThe study of how the body and its parts work, for example how the heart pumps blood, how nerves send signals and how the kidneys make urine.
  • hormoneA chemical messenger made by a gland and carried in the blood to target organs, where it changes how they work. Insulin, cortisol and thyroxine are examples.
  • metabolismAll the chemical reactions in the body's cells that break down food for energy and build new molecules. It includes catabolism (breaking down) and anabolism (building up).

This word in other fields

The same English word can have a different meaning in another field:

More terms: Physiological Processes

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This page explains English vocabulary for learners. It is not medical advice.