Final answer:
The question involves understanding homeostasis and how receptors regulate target cell response through modulation of hormones and nervous system signals, such as through changes in sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question pertains to the mechanisms of homeostasis in the body, specifically how target cell response is influenced by different signals from receptors such as baroreceptors, and the role of the central nervous system in adjusting responses through sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation. For instance, when baroreceptor firing decreases due to lowered pressure and stretch within the cardiovascular system, the cardiac centers respond by increasing sympathetic stimulation and decreasing parasympathetic stimulation to adjust heart rate and blood pressure.
When the set of receptors (like baroreceptors) detects changes in the body, they send signals to the control centers (often the brain), which then modulate the activity of glands or muscles (effectors) accordingly to maintain homeostasis. This can mean either increasing or inhibiting secretions from a gland. Moreover, cells can adjust the number of hormone receptors they express in response to hormone levels; an increase in receptors is known as up-regulation, which makes cells more sensitive to hormones, whereas a decrease is down-regulation, making cells less sensitive.