Homeostasis and Regulation explores the ways in which the human body maintains and regulates itself in the face of changing conditions in the external world. The mechanisms it uses for this regulation include genetic, nervous system and hormonal mechanisms. Each is taught in conjunction with the structural and functional units of the body from molecular, cellular and gross aspects. The key to healthy function is to maintain an ideal level of all bodily processes in spite of changes in external conditions (homeostasis).

This theme aims to provide students with the knowledge to excel as medical professionals and developing understanding of the characteristics of optimal body function, and therefore recognizing when and how disease or injury causes failure to maintain optimal body function.

Areas of knowledge important in understanding how body functions are regulated involve knowledge of:

1. The dynamic, coordinated and integrated activity of multiple organ systems in maintaining critical variables of homeostasis such as blood pressure, body fluid volume and electrolyte composition, blood glucose, acid-base balance and body temperature regulation.
2. How genes direct and control protein synthesis that creates and maintains body systems
3. How genetic elements are regulated allowing differential expression at different periods of the life cycle.
4. The structure and function of the brain and nerves allowing the nervous system to regulate each body system to respond to both internal and external stressors
5. Sensory systems allowing an understanding of how information about body systems gets into the brain
6. Motor systems allowing an understanding of how the brain directs responses of the body to changes
7. The internal integrative systems in the brain allowing understanding of how complex processes like cognition, learning, memory, emotion and planning are carried out
8. The chemical messenger system of endocrine and paracrine hormones allowing regulation of cells and organs by molecules traveling through the fluid systems of the body

Prerequisite: enrollment in the M.D. degree program