Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Positive and Negative Feedback Loops01:18

Positive and Negative Feedback Loops

Animal organs and organ systems constantly adjust to internal and external changes through a process called homeostasis ("steady state"). Examples of these changes include regulation of the level of glucose or calcium in the blood or internal responses to external temperatures. Homeostasis requires  maintaining an internal dynamic equilibrium:
What is Homeostasis?01:16

What is Homeostasis?

Maintaining homeostasis requires that the body continuously maintain its internal conditions. Each physiological condition has a particular set point, from body temperature to blood pressure to levels of certain nutrients. A set point is the physiological value around which the normal range fluctuates. A normal range is a restricted set of values that is optimally healthful and stable. For example, the set point for normal human body temperature is approximately 37°C (98.6°F). Physiological...
Homeostatic Imbalance01:10

Homeostatic Imbalance

Homeostasis is the maintenance of a stable internal environment within the body, which is crucial for the proper functioning of cells, tissues, organs, and organ systems. The body has various control mechanisms that work together to regulate various physiological parameters such as temperature, blood pressure, pH balance, and fluid balance, to name a few. These control mechanisms are based on feedback loops that can be either positive or negative.
However, sometimes these feedback loops fail,...
Non-equilibrium in the Cell01:16

Non-equilibrium in the Cell

An important concept in studying metabolism and energy is that of chemical equilibrium. Most chemical reactions are reversible. They can proceed in both directions, releasing energy into their environment in one direction, and absorbing it from the environment in the other direction. The same is true for the chemical reactions involved in cell metabolism, such as the breaking down and building up of proteins into and from individual amino acids, respectively. Reactants within a closed system...
Control Systems01:10

Control Systems

Control systems are everywhere in contemporary society, influencing diverse applications from aerospace to automated manufacturing. These systems can be found naturally within biological processes, such as blood sugar regulation and heart rate adjustment in response to stress, as well as in man-made systems like elevators and automated vehicles. A control system is essentially a network of subsystems and processes that collaboratively convert specific inputs into desired outputs.
At the heart...
Control System Problem01:21

Control System Problem

In an open-loop system, such as a basic thermostat, the poles of the transfer function influence the system's response but do not determine its stability. However, when feedback is introduced to form a closed-loop system, such as an advanced thermostat that adjusts heating based on room temperature, stability is governed by the new poles of the closed-loop transfer function.
When forming a closed-loop system, issues can arise if the poles cross into the unstable region, leading to potential...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The surgical outcomes of modified Chen's U-suture technique compared with duct-to-mucosa anastomosis in laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: a multi-center cohort study.

Surgical endoscopy·2026
Same author

Abnormal protein glycosylation in epileptogenesis: evidence from experimental models and clinical insights.

Reviews in the neurosciences·2026
Same author

Harnessing Corrosion in A P(VDF-TrFE)/Mg Composite for Dynamic Passivation and Osteoimmunomodulation.

Advanced materials (Deerfield Beach, Fla.)·2026
Same author

Simulation Study of Enhancement-Mode <i>β</i>-Ga<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub> MOSFETs on a Novel P-Ga<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>/AlN/SiC Substrate.

Micromachines·2026
Same author

Machine learning-driven high-throughput screening of electrocatalysts and electrolytes for electrochemical surfaces and interfaces.

Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)·2026
Same author

Effect of Yiqi Fumai lyophilized injection on B-type natriuretic peptide levels in patients with acute decompensated ischemic heart failure: a multicenter, open-label, blinded-outcome, randomized controlled trial.

Phytomedicine : international journal of phytotherapy and phytopharmacology·2026
Same journal

RNA-ligand complexes and the attenuation of neutral confinement in the evolution of RNA secondary structures.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
Same journal

Individual detachment-reintegration events in homing pigeon flocks and the dominance of directional adjustment in their kinematic features.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
Same journal

Thermal stress disrupts symbiotic fluid dynamics in bobtail squid.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
Same journal

Distinct geometrical landscapes distinguish between modes of tristability in gene regulatory networks.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
Same journal

Slow modulation of the contraction patterns in Physarum polycephalum.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
Same journal

Moo-ving mountains: grazing agents drive terracette formation on steep hillslopes.

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface·2026
See all related articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 2026

Revealing Electromechanical Control of Tissue Homeostasis Using a Two-Layer Microfluidic Device
11:08

Revealing Electromechanical Control of Tissue Homeostasis Using a Two-Layer Microfluidic Device

Published on: September 19, 2025

Optimal homeostasis necessitates bistable control.

Guanyu Wang1

  • 1Department of Physics, George Washington University, Washington, DC 20052, USA. guanyuwang2005@gmail.com

Journal of the Royal Society, Interface
|April 27, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Bistability is essential for biological control, emerging from optimal homeostasis to solve glucose regulation dilemmas. This principle explains physiological and molecular functions, offering insights into obesity and diabetes.

More Related Videos

Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System to Study Protein Homeostasis in a Multicellular Organism
12:38

Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System to Study Protein Homeostasis in a Multicellular Organism

Published on: December 18, 2013

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control
08:12

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Published on: September 11, 2019

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 22, 2026

Revealing Electromechanical Control of Tissue Homeostasis Using a Two-Layer Microfluidic Device
11:08

Revealing Electromechanical Control of Tissue Homeostasis Using a Two-Layer Microfluidic Device

Published on: September 19, 2025

Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System to Study Protein Homeostasis in a Multicellular Organism
12:38

Using Caenorhabditis elegans as a Model System to Study Protein Homeostasis in a Multicellular Organism

Published on: December 18, 2013

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control
08:12

Experimental Methods to Study Human Postural Control

Published on: September 11, 2019

Area of Science:

  • Biology
  • Evolutionary Biology
  • Physiology

Background:

  • Bistability is a fundamental natural phenomenon with identified physiological properties.
  • Existing research explains bistability's consequences but not its evolutionary emergence.
  • The evolutionary 'why' behind bistability remains unexplained at a fundamental level.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the evolutionary origins of bistability using optimal homeostasis as a first principle.
  • To explain the necessity of bistability as a control mechanism in biological systems.
  • To connect molecular and physiological levels of bistability through an optimality framework.

Main Methods:

  • Utilized optimal homeostasis as the foundational principle for analysis.
  • Developed a theoretical framework to explore the emergence of bistability.
  • Applied mathematical modeling to demonstrate the general applicability of the findings.

Main Results:

  • Bistability emerges as an indispensable control mechanism driven by optimal homeostasis.
  • It resolves the conflicting requirements of rapid glucose clearance and brain safety during fasting.
  • A clear correspondence between molecular and physiological levels of bistability is established.

Conclusions:

  • Bistability is a necessary evolutionary solution for maintaining glucose homeostasis under optimal conditions.
  • This perspective offers new insights into the mechanisms underlying obesity and diabetes.
  • The principle of bistability for homeostasis may apply to other biological systems beyond glucose regulation.