Question

A decrease in red blood cells causes the kidneys to produce erythropoietin, a hormone which stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red blood cells. Which of the following statement is true regarding this mechanism described? a) This is an example of positive feedback because the oxygen levels are rising b)Erythropietin is the effector. c)the bone marrow is the effector in this mechanism d) the kidneys are the receptors in this mechanism.

Answer 1

In this mechanism, the bone marrow is the effector and the kidneys are the receptors, generating a negative feedback loop to regulate the production of red blood cells through the hormone erythropoietin.

Step-by-step explanation:

When the body experiences a decrease in red blood cells, it triggers the kidneys to produce the hormone erythropoietin (EPO)

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EPO then stimulates the bone marrow, which acts as the effector in this physiological process, to increase the production of red blood cells. The kidneys, which detect low oxygen levels in the blood and secrete EPO, perform the role of receptors in this regulatory mechanism.

This process is regulated by a negative feedback loop, not a positive one, because it functions to correct a deviation from a set point (in this case, normal oxygen levels) and restore the system to that set point. When oxygen levels fall, more EPO is released; when oxygen levels rise to adequate amounts, the release of EPO diminishes, thereby reducing the stimulus for additional red blood cell production.