A Simulation of the Negative Feedback Process of Hormones
Feedback circuits are at the root of most control mechanisms in physiology, and are particularly prominent in the endocrine system. Negative feedback occurs when a system shuts itself off by the condition it produces. Negative feedback tends to make a system self-regulating; it can produce stability and reduce the effect of fluctuations. This exercise will show how the negative feedback process occurs between the thyroid stimulating hormone and the thyroxine.
Objective to understand the relationship between two hormones in the body and the negative feedback process involved
Materials
3 sheets of art paper a pair of scissors
2 small boxes a sheet of graphing paper
Results
The starting level for thyroid stimulating hormone or TSH is 5 and for thyroxine or T is 0. …show more content…
TSH increases to 6, T increases to 1; TSH increases to 7, T increases to 2, and so on.
When the number of T reaches above 5, 1 TSH is removed. In this case when the levels are T: 6 and TSH: 11, in the next step, the levels become T: 7 and TSH: 10. This process continues and T increases to 8, TSH decreases to 9; T increases to 9. TSH decreases to 8, and so on.
When the number of TSH is low, T is removed. The hormone levels become TSH: 5 and T: 10. The levels of both TSH and T continue to decrease until the number of T reaches below 5.
When the number of T is below 5, TSH is released. The hormone levels become T: 4 and TSH: 1. T continues to decrease while TSH continues to increase until it reaches above 5 and T is again released. The levels then become TSH: 6 and T: 1. The values then repeat.
Discussion
The starting level for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) is 5 and for thyroxine (T) is 0. For this part, the thyroxine level is low (0), causing the release of more thyroid stimulating hormones. The levels reach 11 for TSH and 6 for