88 Intro to Homeostasis Glossary

Homeostasis: in a general sense refers to stability or balance in a system.

Receptor: receives information that something in the environment is changing.

Control Center/Integration Center: receives and processes information from the receptor.

Effector: responds to the commands of the control center by either opposing or enhancing the stimulus.

Negative feedback: a reaction in which the system responds in such a way as to reverse the direction of change.

Positive feedback: a response is to amplify the change in the variable.

Set Point: the level or point at which a variable physiological state (as body temperature or weight) tends to stabilize.

Acclimatization: a physiological change in an individual stimulated by exposure to a different, often stressful, environment.

Endotherm: so-called warm-blooded animals; that is, those that maintain a constant body temperature independent of the environment.

Ectotherm: so-called cold-blooded animal—that is, any animal whose regulation of body temperature depends on external sources, such as sunlight or a heated rock surface.

Thermoregulation: a mechanism by which mammals maintain body temperature with tightly controlled self-regulation independent of external temperatures.