Homeostatic regulation in physiological systems: A versatile Ansatz

A generic modelling formalism is described for homeostatic dynamics in physiological systems. The method is particularly suited where the peripheral, physiological system itself is well-characterised, but the details of the central, regulatory component (the nervous and endocrine systems) have not necessarily been characterised in full detail. The method is applied to temperature regulation in Cardinalis cardinalis, C. sinuatus, Lepus alleni, and Passer domesticus, and furthermore to hydromineral regulation in Lymnaea stagnalis. These case studies demonstrate that the method allows a comprehensive analysis and integration of the available data and is capable of furnishing physiologically relevant predictions. We discuss the method in relation to optimal control theory as well as more conventional modelling approaches.