Identify the three components of a basic homeostatic feedback loop.

• A. Receptor, control center, and effector
• B. Stimulus, receptor, response
• C. Sensor, integrator, effector
• D. Receptor, integration center, response

Answer: (A)

A basic homeostatic feedback loop works through detection, processing, and response. The receptor detects a deviation from the set point, the control center processes that information and decides the appropriate action, and the effector carries out the corrective response to bring the variable back toward normal. For example, in body temperature regulation, temperature receptors alert the control center (often a brain region like the hypothalamus), which then signals effectors such as muscles to shiver or blood vessels to constrict, or sweat glands to produce cooling, to restore normal temperature.

That three-part labeling—receptor, control center, and effector—is the standard way to name the components. Other phrasings like sensor/integrator/effector or mentioning the stimulus or the response refer to the same idea, but the traditional trio is the clearest way to describe how the loop operates: detection, processing, and action.