Feedback Mechanisms Maintaining homeostasis requires an interconnected network of receptors, control centers, and effectors. Receptors receive information about the body’s current state. Control centers receive signals from receptors and activate the steps leading to a response action. They communicate with effectors, which put the control mechanism into effect. These components make up a feedback mechanism. A feedback mechanism is a process in the body that responds to a change in the internal or external environment. Receptors collect feedback, or information, about the current state of the body.
To understand a biological feedback mechanism, it can be helpful to think about a central heating system. Central heat incorporates a feedback mechanism to maintain a fairly constant temperature in a home. The thermostat is the control center. You, as the resident, tell the control center you want the house to be at a constant 72ºF. The control center has a receptor (the thermometer), which measures the temperature of the air around it. If the temperature falls below 72ºF, the receptor noties the control center. The control center then activates the furnace. The furnace is the effector. It produces heat and increases the temperature in the house. When the temperature reaches 72ºF, the thermometer sends a signal to the thermostat. The thermostat then shuts the furnace down. Feedback is important because it allows the body to compare the current conditions to the ideal conditions necessary for homeostasis. If current conditions are not ideal, the feedback mechanism will work to return the body to a normal state. It’s also important to understand that feedback mechanisms can be positive or negative and to know the difference between the two.

What is a feedback mechanism and why is it important?