Guided Practice – Mechanism of Homeostasis

Name: Date:

Organ Systems and Homeostasis Exploration

The following models demonstrate different feedback loops that exist within the body to maintain homeostasis. Answer
the guided questions for each model.

Model 1: Glucose Feedback Loop

1. What organ system(s), organs, and cells are involved in this feedback loop?

● Organ systems:

● Organs:

● Cells:

2. Bianca showed up late to school and missed breakfast, and then had to take a makeup test during lunch. By the
end of school, she haven’t eaten anything since dinner the night before.
a. What do you think has happened to her blood glucose levels at this point? (circle one)

Blood glucose increase OR Blood glucose decrease

b. Based on the model explain how the body responds to the situation in (a). Does this move the body
back towards homeostasis, or further away from homeostasis?

c. What hormone was released from the pancreas to trigger this response?
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 3. Tyler comes home from football practice and is really hungry. Unfortunately, the first thing he sees is a bowl
full of skittles and he eats the whole thing!
a. What do you think has happened to his blood glucose levels at this point? (circle one)

Blood glucose increase Blood glucose decrease

b. Based on the model, how does the body respond? Does this move the body back towards homeostasis,
or further away from homeostasis?

c. What hormone was released from the pancreas to trigger this response?

Stretch and challenge:

A person with diabetes cannot regulate their blood sugar, primarily because the pancreas does not release enough insulin. To
treat the disease, a person must monitor their blood sugar.
1. When do you think a person with diabetes would need to take an injection of insulin? Justify
your answer using the model above.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
2. How do you think they would treat low blood sugar? Justify your answer using the model above.
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………
……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

Model 3: Body Temperature Feedback Loop

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1. What organ system(s) and organs are involved in this feedback loop?

● Organ systems:

● Organs:

2. Rosalind is waiting outside for her mother to pick her up after tutoring. It starts raining, and she is now both wet
and cold.
a. What has happened to her temperature levels at this point? (circle one)

Temperature increase OR Temperature decrease

b. Based on the diagram, how does the body respond? Does this move the body back towards
homeostasis, or further away from homeostasis?

3. Bryan is at football camp over the summer on a really hot day. The team has been practicing in the sun for
several hours.
a. What has happened to his temperature levels at this point? (circle one)

Temperature increase OR Temperature decrease

b. Based on the model, how does the body respond? Does this move the body back towards homeostasis,
or further away from homeostasis?

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Model 4: Body Water Content Feedback Loop

1. What organ system(s) and organs are involved in this feedback loop?

● Organ systems:

● Organs:

2. Coach Courtney makes the track team go on a long run on a hot day without a water break.

a. What do you think has happened to the water content in the team’s blood at this point? (circle one)

Water content increases OR Water content decreases

b. Based on the model, how does the body respond? Does this move the body back towards homeostasis,
or further away from homeostasis?

c. What hormone is produced by the brain that leads to the response from (b)?

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3. What organ system(s) and organs are involved in this feedback loop?

● Organ systems:

● Organs:

4. Seth drinks three huge glasses of water after eating some salty pizza.
a. What do you think has happened to the water content in his blood at this point? (circle one)

Water content increases OR Water content decreases

b. Based on the model, how does the body respond? Does this move the body back towards homeostasis,
or further away from homeostasis?

5. Coach Courtney makes the track team go on a long run on a hot day without a water break.

d. What do you think has happened to the water content in the team’s blood at this point? (circle one)

Water content increases OR Water content decreases

e. Based on the model, how does the body respond? Does this move the body back towards homeostasis,
or further away from homeostasis?

f. What hormone is produced by the brain that leads to the response from (b)?

6. Is this model showing a positive or negative feedback loop? Justify your answer.

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 Organ Systems and Homeostasis Exploration- Teacher Answer Key
The following models demonstrate different feedback loops that exist within the body to maintain homeostasis. Answer
the guided questions for each model.

Model 1: Glucose Feedback Loop

1. What organ system(s), organs, and cells are involved in this feedback loop?

● Organ systems: digestive system, circulatory system

● Organs: Liver, pancreas, blood vessels

● Cells: beta cells, alpha cells

2. Bianca showed up late to school and missed breakfast, and then had to take a makeup test during lunch. By the
end of school, she haven’t eaten anything since dinner the night before.
a. What do you think has happened to her blood glucose levels at this point? (circle one)

Blood glucose increase OR Blood glucose decrease

b. Based on the model explain how the body responds to the situation in (a). Does this move the body
back towards homeostasis, or further away from homeostasis?
When blood glucose levels fall, this triggers alpha cells in the pancreas to release glucagon. Glucagon triggers the liver
to break down glycogen into glucose and releases the glucose into the blood. This moves the body back towards
homeostasis.

c. What hormone was released from the pancreas to trigger this response? glucagon

3. Tyler comes home from football practice and is really hungry. Unfortunately, the first thing he sees is a bowl full
of skittles and he eats the whole thing!
a. What do you think has happened to his blood glucose levels at this point? (circle one)

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 Blood glucose increase Blood glucose decrease

b. Based on the model, how does the body respond? Does this move the body back towards homeostasis,
or further away from homeostasis?
Rising blood glucose levels trigger beta cells in the pancreas to release insulin into the bloodstream. This
triggers two events: the liver to take up excess glucose and store it as glycogen, and body cells to take
up glucose and use it to perform cellular respiration. This lowers blood glucose levels as glucose is
removed from the blood via these two mechanisms and moves the body back towards homeostasis.

c. What hormone was released from the pancreas to trigger this response? insulin

4. A person with diabetes cannot regulate their blood sugar, primarily because the pancreas does not
release enough insulin. To treat the disease, a person must monitor their blood sugar.
a. When do you think a person with diabetes would need to take an injection of insulin? Justify your
answer using the model above.

When they eat something high in glucose and their blood glucose levels rise. Without insulin, a person with diabetes
does not have the trigger needed for the body cells to uptake the glucose and use it for cell respiration or for the liver to
take up the excess glucose and store it as glycogen.
b. How do you think they would treat low blood sugar? Justify your answer using the model above.

To treat low blood sugar a diabetic person should eat a set amount of carbs to increase their blood sugar. In addition,
they will need to take the appropriate dose of insulin to ensure their body can use the glucose. If a diabetic takes too
much insulin, this can remove sugar from the blood too fast leading to low blood sugar. The same can happen if a
diabetic does not combine insulin dosage with intake of carbohydrates.

5. Is this diagram showing a positive or negative feedback loop? Justify your answer.

Negative feedback loop; when blood glucose levels fall, this triggers mechanisms that then raise blood sugar. Vice versa
occurs when blood glucose levels rise.

Model 2: Labor feedback loop

1. What organ system(s) and organs are involved in this feedback loop?

● Organ systems: reproductive system, circulatory system, nervous system, endocrine system

● Organs: Brain, uterus, blood vessels, pituitary gland

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 2. Mrs. Smith is pregnant and due in September. Around her due date she will go into labor.
a. At the start of labor, the baby drops lower in the pelvis, and this triggers a series of events. Describe
what happens after the baby first begins to push against the cervix. For each step, also explain what
organ system or systems are involved.

The pushing of the head against the cervix causes a nerve impulse to be sent to the brain (reproductive, nervous
systems). This tells the pituitary gland in the brain to release oxytocin into the bloodstream (nervous, circulatory,
endocrine systems). Oxytocin is carried to the uterus and causes it to contract, pushing the baby further down into the
cervix (endocrine, reproductive systems)

b. What is the main hormone released by the endocrine system to stimulate this process? oxytocin

c. Notice the model is set-up in a cycle. Does this cycle move the body back towards homeostasis, or
further away from homeostasis? Justify your answer.
Further away. As the body goes through this cycle, it leads to more and more release of oxytocin, uterine contractions,
and the baby moving down through the cervix.

d. If the body continues to cycle through the loop below, describe how this will eventually lead to the birth
of Mrs. Smith’s baby. As more oxytocin is released and the uterus contracts, this forces the baby further
and further down through the cervix and birth canal

3. Is this model showing a positive or negative feedback loop? Justify your answer.
Positive feedback loop; the signal that the baby is pushing against the cervix triggers a series of mechanisms that
cause the body to push the baby further against the cervix.

Model 3: Body Temperature Feedback Loop

1. What organ system(s) and organs are involved in this feedback loop?

● Organ systems: circulatory, integumentary, musculoskeletal, nervous (not shown on model but involved)
systems

● Organs: blood vessels, skin, muscles, brain and hypothalamus (not shown in model but involved)

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 2. Rosalind is waiting outside for her mother to pick her up after tutoring. It starts raining, and she is now both wet
and cold.
a. What has happened to her temperature levels at this point? (circle one)

Temperature increase OR Temperature decrease

b. Based on the diagram, how does the body respond? Does this move the body back towards
homeostasis, or further away from homeostasis?
When body temperature falls, this triggers the body to respond to conserve heat. The body will constrict blood vessels,
stop sweat glands from secreting sweat, and begin shivering by tightening and relaxing the muscles. This warms the
body moving it back towards homeostasis.

3. Bryan is at football camp over the summer on a really hot day. The team has been practicing in the sun for
several hours.
a. What has happened to his temperature levels at this point? (circle one)

Temperature increase OR Temperature decrease

b. Based on the model, how does the body respond? Does this move the body back towards homeostasis,
or further away from homeostasis?

When body temperature rises, this triggers the body to respond to release heat. The body will dilate blood vessels and
trigger sweat glands to secrete sweat. This cools the body moving it back towards homeostasis.

4. Is this diagram showing a positive or negative feedback loop? Justify your answer.

Negative feedback loop; when temperature falls, this triggers mechanisms that then raise the body’s temperature. Vice
versa occurs when temperature levels rise.

Model 4: Body Water Content Feedback Loop

1. What organ system(s) and organs are involved in this feedback loop?

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 ● Organ systems: renal, nervous, excretory systems
● Organs: brain, kidneys, bladder

2. Seth drinks three huge glasses of water after eating some salty pizza.
a. What do you think has happened to the water content in his blood at this point? (circle one)

Water content increases OR Water content decreases

b. Based on the model, how does the body respond? Does this move the body back towards homeostasis,
or further away from homeostasis?

When water content increases in the blood, this leads to a signal being sent to the brain. In response, the brain
produces less ADH, which is a hormone that acts on the kidneys. Based on the decreased ADH, the kidneys decrease
their water reabsorption. This leads to more water being excreted as a large volume of dilute urine. This moves the
body back towards homeostasis.

3. Coach Courtney makes the track team go on a long run on a hot day without a water break.

a. What do you think has happened to the water content in the team’s blood at this point? (circle one)

Water content increases OR Water content decreases

b. Based on the model, how does the body respond? Does this move the body back towards homeostasis,
or further away from homeostasis?

When water content decreases in the blood, this leads to a signal being sent to the brain. In response, the brain
produces more ADH, which is a hormone that acts on the kidneys. Based on the increased ADH, the kidneys increase
their water reabsorption. This leads to less water being excreted in the excretory system. This increases blood water
content, moving the body back towards homeostasis.

c. What hormone is produced by the brain that leads to the response from (b)? ADH

4. Is this model showing a positive or negative feedback loop? Justify your answer.

Negative feedback loop; when blood water content falls, this triggers mechanisms that then raise the body’s blood
water content. Vice versa occurs when blood water levels rise.

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