The skin plays an important role in regulating body temperature through homeostasis. The hypothalamus acts as the body's thermostat to maintain an optimal temperature range of 37 degrees Centigrade plus or minus 0.5 degrees through negative feedback loops. When the body gets too hot, the skin's blood vessels dilate and sweat glands become active to cool it down. When it gets too cold, the skin's blood vessels constrict and shivering occurs to generate heat and warm the body.

1. The Skin’s Role in the
Homeostasis of Body
Temperature
Development Course
Dr. Helen Mergenthal

2. HOMEOSTASIS
• Internal conditions
are not absolute
• Limited range
• Vary around a set point

3. Negative feedback is when the
body senses a change and tries
to reverse it back to stability.

4. Feedback Loops consists of:
• Homeostatic range for a
variable
• Receptors
• Control center
• Effector

5. • Homeostatic range:
37 degrees Centigrade or 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit
(plus or minus 0.5 degrees)
•
The body’s thermostat is a part of the brain called
the Hypothalamus.
•
Above 37.5 degrees Centigrade,
homeostasis is disturbed.

6. OpenStax College. (2013, June 19). Anatomy & Physiology.
Retrieved from the Connexions Web site:
http://cnx.org/content/col11496/1.6/

7. If the body temperature goes below
36.5 degrees Centigrade (97.7
degrees Fahrenheit)
• Blood vessels in skin constrict
• Sweat glands stay inactive
• Shivering, involuntary muscle
contractions, releases heat