Sense organs

• There are five senses: sight, hearing, taste,

smell and touch. There are organs connected
with these sense that take in information
that is sent to the brain so that the body can
act on it.
 Sight

• The eye is the organ of the sense of sight. Eyes detect

light, and convert it to electro-chemical impulses in
neurons.
• Parts of the eye:
1.Cornea
• The transparent window at the front of the eye which is
covered in a thin layer of tears.
2. Aqueous humor
• On the other side of the cornea is more moisture. This
clear, watery fluid is the aqueous humor. It circulates
throughout the front part of the eye and keeps a constant
pressure within the eye.
3. Pupil and iris:
• The pupil is the circular opening in the colored part of
the eye which is the iris. The iris dilates or opens and
contracts to let in more or less light.
4. Lens:
• Resembles the lens of a camera and focuses the light,
changing shape as it takes in light reflected from
objects near and far.
5. Vitreous:
• A clear jelly that the focused light passes through to
the retina.
6. Retina:
• The inner lining at the back of the eye. It
contains blood vessels which bring nutrients
to the nerve cells.
7. Eyelids and eyelashes:
• These protect the eye and along with tears
keep the eye clear and moist.
 Hearing

• The ear is the organ concerned with hearing.

• The ear has three parts: the outer ear, the
middle ear and the inner ear.
1. Outer ear:
• Pinna:
• The outermost part of the ear made of cartilage
that is connected to the outer tube called the
auditory canal. This leads to the eardrum.
2. Middle Ear
• Eardrum, stirrup, anvil and hammer:
• This membrane vibrates and along with the
three tiny bones in the middle ear, the
hammer, anvil and stirrup, and sends the
stiumuli to the cochlea.
3. Inner Ear:
• Cochlea:
• Is spiral shaped and it transforms sound into nerve
impulses that travel to the brain.
• Semicircular canals:
• These fluid filled tubes attach to the cochlea and
nerves in the inner ear. They send information on
balance and head position to the brain.
• Eustachian tube:
• Drains fluid from the middle ear into the throat
behind the nose.
• Hearing-Sound waves travel through the outer
ear, are modulated by the middle ear, and are
transmitted to the vestibulocochlear nerve in
the inner ear. This nerve transmits information
to the temporal lobe of the brain, where it is
registered as sound.
• Balance- moving and balancing, is also a
central function of the ear.
 Taste

• Tongue
• Is a muscular organ in the mouth. The tongue is
covered with moist, pink tissue called mucosa and
tiny bumps called papillae.
• Thousands of taste buds cover the surfaces of the
papillae.
• Taste buds are collections of nerve-like cells that
connect to nerves going into the brain.
• There are four types of taste buds: sour, sweet, bitter
and salty.
• The tongue is functioning as tasting and chewing food
and in speech.
 Smell

• Nose
• The nose, along with the mouth, lets air in
and out of the body.
• It also helps us distinguish different smells in
air.
 Touch

• Skin:
• The skin is the largest organ of the body, with
a total area of about 20 square feet. The skin
protects us from microbes and the elements,
helps regulate body temperature, and
permits the sensations of touch, heat, and
cold. The epidermis, the outermost layer of
skin, provides a waterproof barrier and
creates our skin tone.
 Layers

The skin is mainly divided into three parts:

1. The epidermis, or surface epithelium, which is a
self-regenerating stratified squamous epithelium that
produces a protective protein layer of keratin. It has 5
layers-
1. Stratum Corneum
2. Stratum lucidum
3. Stratum Granulosum
4. Stratum Spinosum
5. Stratum basal
• The dermis, an underlying layer of dense collagenous
connective tissue that contains hair follicles, sweat glands,
blood and lymphatic vessels, sensory receptors and nerves,
and connective tissue cells. It has two layers-
• Papillary layer
• Reticular layer

• 3. The hypodermis deeper subcutaneous tissue is made of

fat and connective tissue.
 Functions of skin

• Protection: it protects against UV light, mechanical,

thermal and chemical stresses, dehydration and
invasion by micro-organisms.
• Sensation: skin has receptors that sense touch,
pressure, pain and temperature.
• Thermoregulation: various features of the skin are
involved in regulating temperature of the body. For
example sweat glands, hair, and adipose tissue.
• Metabolic functions: subcutaneous adipose tissue is
involved in production of vitamin D, and triglycerides.