Homeostasis, inflammation, and disease susceptibility

Area of Science:

• Physiology
• Systems Biology
• Pathophysiology

Background:

• Modernization has increased human lifespan but also the prevalence of chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, and type 2 diabetes.
• These chronic diseases are viewed as failures of homeostasis, where normal physiological control mechanisms are disrupted.
• Chronic inflammation is frequently associated with these diseases, but the underlying connection remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the design of homeostatic systems and their control circuits across cellular, tissue, and organismal levels.
• To propose a framework for classifying homeostatic signals based on the variables they report.
• To discuss how the adaptability of homeostatic systems contributes to disease vulnerability and inflammation.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on homeostatic systems and control circuits.
• Development of a conceptual framework for classifying homeostatic signals.
• Analysis of the relationship between homeostatic system adaptability and disease pathogenesis.

Main Results:

• Homeostatic systems share universal control circuit features operating at multiple biological levels.
• A novel framework classifies homeostatic signals based on reported variables.
• Adaptability in homeostatic systems, particularly adjustable set points, creates vulnerability to dysregulation and disease.

Conclusions:

• Understanding homeostatic system design and adaptability offers insights into disease origins.
• The proposed framework highlights parallels between homeostatic and inflammatory control.
• This perspective provides a new understanding of the physiological basis of inflammation in chronic diseases.