Select the correct statement about feedback regulation in endocrine systems.

• A. Positive feedback is the primary mechanism for maintaining stable internal conditions in the body.
• B. Negative feedback amplifies changes and drives processes to completion.
• C. Positive feedback always leads to a return to the original set point and stabilizes physiological processes.
• D. Negative feedback helps maintain homeostasis by reducing the output or activity of any organ or system back to its normal range.

Answer: (D)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand the concept of feedback regulation in endocrine systems. Feedback regulation is a mechanism by which the body maintains homeostasis, or stable internal conditions, through either positive or negative feedback loops.
2. Clarify the role of negative feedback. Negative feedback is the primary mechanism for maintaining homeostasis. It works by detecting deviations from a set point and initiating responses that counteract the change, bringing the system back to its normal range.
3. Clarify the role of positive feedback. Positive feedback amplifies changes rather than counteracting them. It drives processes to completion and is typically used in situations where a rapid or decisive outcome is needed, such as during childbirth (oxytocin release) or blood clotting.
4. Evaluate the statements provided in the problem. Positive feedback is not the primary mechanism for maintaining stable internal conditions, and it does not lead to a return to the original set point. Negative feedback, on the other hand, is the correct mechanism for maintaining homeostasis by reducing output or activity to stabilize physiological processes.
5. Conclude that the correct statement is: 'Negative feedback helps maintain homeostasis by reducing the output or activity of any organ or system back to its normal range.' This aligns with the biological principle of maintaining stable internal conditions through negative feedback loops.