Regulation is the management of complex systems. It is based on a set of rules and trends. In systems theory, these types of rules exist in many parts of biology and society, but the term has slightly different meanings. For example:
in biology, gene regulation and metabolic regulation allow living organisms to adapt to their environment and keep homeostasis;
in government, typically regulation means delegated legislation which is created by an expert[1]
in business, industry self-regulation happens through self-regulatory organizations and trade associations which allow industries to set and enforce rules with less government involvement; and,
in psychology, self-regulation theory is the study of how individuals regulate their thoughts and behaviors to reach goals.