Your circulatory system delivers oxygen-rich blood to your bones. Meanwhile, your bones are busy making new blood cells. Working together, these systems maintain internal stability and balance, otherwise known as homeostasis. Disease in one body system can disrupt homeostasis and cause trouble in other body systems.

The statement that is NOT an example of homeostasis is ‘After plunging into icy-cold water, Gary’s core body temperature rapidly drops’. This is because it should increase rather than decrease.

Homeostasis helps animals maintain stable internal and external environments with the best conditions for it to operate. It is a dynamic process that requires constant monitoring of all systems in the body to detect changes, and mechanisms that react to those changes and restore stability.

If homeostasis is disrupted, it must be controlled or a disease/disorder may result. Your body systems work together to maintain balance. If that balance is shifted or disrupted and homeostasis is not maintained, the results may not allow normal functioning of the organism.

Their basic functions include:

• Regulation of extracellular fluid volume. The kidneys work to ensure an adequate quantity of plasma to keep blood flowing to vital organs.
• Regulation of osmolarity.
• Regulation of ion concentrations.
• Regulation of pH.
• Excretion of wastes and toxins.
• Production of hormones.

The kidneys can adjust the concentration of the urine to reflect the body’s water needs, conserving water if the body is dehydrated or making urine more dilute to expel excess water when necessary. ADH is a hormone that helps the body to retain water by increasing water reabsorption by the kidneys.

Osmoregulation is the process of maintaining salt and water balance (osmotic balance) across membranes within the body. Excess water, electrolytes, and wastes are transported to the kidneys and excreted, helping to maintain osmotic balance. …