Final answer:
Homeostasis is maintained by negative feedback loops which involve a receptor detecting a stimulus and the brain acting as a control center, leading to effectors like muscles or glands taking action to restore balance.
Step-by-step explanation:
To speed up or slow down reactions and maintain homeostasis, the body uses regulatory mechanisms, most notably negative feedback loops. These mechanisms involve several key components including a stimulus, a sensor (receptor), a control center, usually the brain, and an effector, which could be a muscle or gland. When a deviation from the set point is detected, these components work together to bring the system back to equilibrium. For example, the nervous and endocrine systems regulate body temperature and blood glucose levels to maintain homeostasis. In cases like diabetes, a homeostatic imbalance due to failure in these regulatory mechanisms occurs, leading to disease.