Finish Line & Beyond

Control and Coordination

Have you ever wondered how various organs of our body function in perfect symphony. How do
you manage to walk without falling. How do you manage to balance yourself when you tend to
fall. Even when you are fast asleep, how your internal organs go on doing their job. All these
activities are managed by the nervous system.

Nervous System

Nervous System can be divided into two parts:

1. Central Nervous System: Central Nervous System consists of the Brain and the Nerve
cord. Nerve cord is an offshoot of brain and passes through spinal column up to the lower
part of the body
2. Peripheral Nervous System: Peripheral Nervous System comprises of branches of nerve
fibres which come out from different parts of the Nerve cord. These branches reach out to
different parts of the body.

Functions of Nervous System: Nervous System collects information and sends message to
brain to stimulate proper reaction. It also sends signals from brain to different parts of the body to
carry out various activities. It can be said that nervous system helps make two way
communication between the body and the external environment.

Nerve Cell or Neuron:

Nerve cell is having amoeba like structure, with a tail of nerve fibre. The tail is covered by an
insulating material, which is called dendrite. Messages pass through this tail in the form of
electrical impulses. The way optic fibre helps transmit data for telephone and internet, nerve
fibres transmit message for the communication going inside the body.

Reflex Action: Those actions which are a result of sudden reaction to an outside stimulus are
called reflex actions. For example, when you accidentally touch a hot electric iron you suddenly
move your hand away from the iron. As these actions are not under our control, they are also
known as involuntary actions. Your subconscious mind dictates events during reflex actions.

Type of Receptors Based on External Stimulants:

1. Photoreceptors or Eyes give visual inputs to brain.

2. Audioreceptors or Ears give audio inputs to brain.

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3. Tactile receptors or skin give touch or tactile inputs to brain.

Brain gets all these inputs and processes them the way a computer processes our commands and
gives required results.

Parts of Brain:
1. Forebrain
2. Midbrain
3. Hindbrain

Brain is composed of jelly like soft tissues with hollow space in the middle. The hollow space of
brain and the nerve cord is filled with a fluid which is known as cerebrospinal fluid(CSF). CSF helps
in giving a cushion to the nerve tissue by acting like shock absorbers.

COORDINATION IN PLANTS
Although plants don't move from one place to other, but they also carry out different functions
everyday. Moreover, growth in plants is greatly affected by one external stimuli, that is light.

Phototropism:All the green parts of a plant grow in the direction from which they receive light.
All the underground part like roots grow in the opposite direction.

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Certain creeping plants like pea, grow in the direction of some firm support. The tendril or spring
like structure near stem coils along the support and helps the plant to grow further.

Hormones:
Hormones are chemicals which are released in small quantity to send specific message to the
receptor cells. Various cells, after receiving message in this way carry out their specific functions.

Plant Hormones: Plant hormones affect growth of various parts in the plant.

Auxin:When growing plants detect light, a hormone called auxin, synthesised

at the shoot tip, helps the cells to grow longer. When light is coming from
one side of the plant, auxin diffuses towards the shady side of the shoot.
This concentration of auxin stimulates the cells to grow longer on the
side of the shoot which is away from light. Thus, the plant appears to
bend towards light.

Gibberellins:
Gibberellins help in the growth of the stem.

Cytokinins:
Cytokinins promote cell division, and it is natural then that they are present in greater
concentration in areas of rapid cell division, such as in fruits and seeds. These are examples
of plant hormones that help in promoting growth.

Abscisic Acid:
But plants also need signals to stop growing. Abscisic acid is one example of a hormone which
inhibits growth. Its effects include wilting of leaves. It also inhibits growth of buds. This is
necessary when environmental conditions are not favourable to plants. For example during
summer wilting of leaves helps prevent excess water loss due to transpiration. During winters fruit
buds may be killed because of freezing temperature, so their growth is inhibited.

Important Hormones & Their Effects in Human:

Hormone Organ/Gland Effect

Melatonin pineal gland antioxidant and causes
drowsiness
Serotonin enterochromaffin cell Controls mood, appetite, and
sleep
tyrosine Triiodothyronine (a thyroid gland increase the basal metabolic
thyroid hormone) rate
Epinephrine (or adrenaline) adrenal medulla Fight-or-flight response:
Boosts the supply of oxygen
and glucose to the brain and
muscles (by increasing heart
rate and stroke volume,
vasodilation, increasing
catalysis of glycogen in liver,
breakdown of lipids in fat cells.

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dilate the pupils Suppress non-

emergency bodily processes
(e.g. digestion) Suppress
immune system
Norepinephrine adrenal medulla Fight-or-flight response:
Boosts the supply of oxygen
and glucose to the brain and
muscles (by increasing heart
rate and stroke volume,
vasoconstriction and increased
blood pressure, breakdown of
lipids in fat cells. Increase
skeletal muscle readiness.
Follicle-stimulating hormone Pituitary gland stimulates maturation of
FSH Graafian follicles in ovary.
In male: spermatogenesis
Gonadotropin-releasing hypothalamus promote maintenance of corpus
hormone GnRH luteum during beginning of
pregnancy
Oxytocin Pituitary gland release breast milk
Testosterone testes Anabolic: growth of muscle
mass and strength, increased
bone density, growth and
strength,
Virilizing: maturation of sex
organs, formation of scrotum,
deepening of voice, growth of
beard and axillary hair.
Estradiol females: ovary, males testes promote formation of female
secondary sex characteristics
accelerate height growth
accelerate metabolism (burn fat)
reduce muscle mass
stimulate endometrial growth
increase uterine growth
maintenance of blood vessels
and skin
reduce bone resorption, increase
bone formation

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