Ivy International School, Shimla

Control and coordination

Life processes are interconnected. Nutrients are obtained by nutrition process, reach each part of body part by transport
system and obtain energy by respiration. All processes work together in controlled and coordinated way in homeostasis
i.e. a balance within the organisms.
Coordination is a process to interact and work together to adjust activities of life. In order to maintain normal functioning
of organs , these must be coordinated.
Control is a capacity to restrain and regulate activities.
All living organisms are sensitive to their environment. They respond and react to changes around them. The change that
brings response is called stimuli. The reaction of organism to the stimuli is called the response.
Eg. Bending of sunflower towards sun is called response and sunlight is stimulus.
Leaves of mimosa plant fold on touching, touch is stimulus and folding is response.

In animals , control and coordination is done by nervous and endocrine system.

Responses of nervous system is classified as reflex action, voluntary action and involuntary action.
Human nervous system:2 parts
1) Central nervous system(CNS):Receive information from all body parts and integrate it.
a) Brain
b) Spinal cord
2) Peripheral nervous system(PNS)- consist of all nerves:2 types
a) Voluntary Nerves
1. Cranial Nerve- arise from brain and spread to head
2. Spinal Nerve – arise from spinal cord and spread to body (not head)
3. Visceral Nerve – arise from brain and spinal cord and connect to internal parts of body. It consist of
sensory and motor nerves
b) Based on function, Peripheral NS is of 2 types
i) Autonomic nervous system/Involuntary- It consist of motor nerves that control breathing and beating of
heart.
(1) Sympathetic – heightens /increase the activity
(2) Parasympathetic- slows activity/conserve the energy
ii) Somatic NS/ voluntary- muscle movement and blinking of eye

Information from environment is detected by specialised tips of nerve cells are called receptors.
Gustatory receptors - detect taste
Olfactory receptors - detect smell
Phono receptors- hearing and balancing
Photo receptors-detect light
Thermo receptors- detects pain / touch /heat

Neuron:It is a highly specialized cell responsible for transmission of nerve impulse(message in the form of chemical
signal).
Information detected on dendrite tip of neuron, sets of chemical reaction and creates electrical impulse. Electrical impulse
moves from dendrite to axon to end. At end chemical is released that cross synapse/gap to create similar impulse in a
next neuron. Nervous tissue is made up of organised neurons that move impulse from one part/neuron to another.
Neurons make decision based on information and conveys decision to muscles for action . Muscle cells will move by
changing their shape and arrangement by shortening.
3 types of neurons-sensory(receives signal), Motor(sends signals) and relay(relay signal between sensory and motor
neurons)

Figure 1: Neuron

Medulated neuron is a neuron in which axon is covered with myelin

sheath(made of proteins and fats)
Reflex Action
Reflex is a quick, sudden action in response to something in environment without feeling in control of our reactions.
Thinking is a complex activity which involves a complicated interaction of many nerve impulse from many neurons.
Eg. Touching a flame and pull back hand suddenly. Nerves that detect heat are connected to the nerves that move
muscles .
A reflex action is a spontaneous, automatic and mechanical response towards a stimuli without the will of an animal.
The pathway taken by nerve impulse in reflex action is called reflex arc.
Reflex actions are of two types
Spinal reflexes: involves spinal cord only
Cerebral reflexes: involves brain

Reflex arc
a) Receptor in skin is triggered by stimulus
b) Signal travels from receptor through sensory neuron to reach relay neuron in spinal cord
c) Spinal neuron transmit signal to brain
d) Relay neuron transmit signal to motor neuron based on previous memory to bring reaction in effector organ

Human Brain
Brain is the coordinating centre in the body which enables man to think and take decisions.
Spinal cord is enclosed in vertebral column. Its injury disrupts:
a) Reflex actions
b) Conduction of sensory impulse from receptor to brain
c) Transmission of motor impulse from brain to effector
Brain has 3 major parts (function)
Cerebrum (Forebrain) Mid brain Hindbrain
a) Helps in thinking, speech and Controls reflex movements of a) Pons-regulate respiration
reasoning head, neck, teeth and eye. b) Cerebellum-maintain posture & body
b) Helps in learning and memory balance, ensure precise and accurate
c) Receives information from sense voluntary movements and controls
organs and send information via muscular actions
motor nerve to muscles. Eg. c) Medulla- controls involuntary actions
Olfactory like heart beat, blood pressure,
d) Controls voluntary actions breathing, and regulates reflex
e) Hypothalamus- regulates body response like salivation and vomiting.
temperature, controls urge for
eating
f) Thalamus –relay motor and
sensory signals to cerebral cortex

Diagram of Human Brain

How are these tissues protected
Brain sits inside a bony box called cranium. Brain is surrounded by three membranes called meninges to protect it. These
membranes are separated by cerebro spinal fluid to protect brain from mechanical shocks. Vertibral column or backbone
protects the spinal cord .

Coordination in PlantsPlants do not have nervous system. But they show movements which can be divided into two types.
1) Tropism: It is growth movement in which direction of stimulus determines direction of response.5types
a) Phototropism-It is response of plant toding away from light.
b) Geotropism-It is a response to pull of earth or gravity.
Positive Geotropism –Roots grow toward gravity
Negative Geotropism –Shoots grow away from gravity

c) Thigmotropism- It is response of plant to stimulus of touch. Eg. When tendrils of bitter gourd and grape vine
touch an object, then that part of contact grows slowly and causes the tendril to bend.
d) Hydrotropism- It is response of plant to stimulus of water.
e) Chemotropism- It is response of plant to direction of chemical. Eg. Pollen tubes grow towards ovules due to
presence of sugary substance in style.
2) Nasties: It is a growth movement in which direction of movement is not determined by direction of stimuli.
a) Thigmonastic/ Seismonastic Movement: -response to touch. Eg. Mimosa pudica (touch-me-not) plant when
touched , folds its leaves.
b) Nyctinastic Movement: -response to diurnal turgor
i. Photonastic movement-response to light. Eg. Dandelion flower opens during day
ii. Thermonastic movement- response to temperature. Eg. Tulip opens during high temperature.

Growth related movements of plants are slower .

In animals, electrical impulse has limitations:
i) Impulse reaches those cells that are connected by nervous tissues.
ii) Cells take time to reset its mechanism before it can generate and transmit new impulse.
Other means of communication between two cells is chemical communication. It is slow process but it can reach
all the cells of the body. These are called hormones.

Plant hormones
They help to coordinate growth , development and responses to environment. They are synthesised at places away from
the site of action. 5types
1) Auxins-
a) They are synthesised at shoot tips.
b) Promote cell enlargement and cell differentiation.
c) Diffuse away from light and help cells to grow longer on side away from light. Eg. IAA

2) Gibberllins-
a) Produced in plastids
b) Help in growth of stem with auxins.

3) Cytokinins-
a) Produced in the tip of roots
b) Promotes cell division and found in areas of rapid cell division such as fruit and seed.
c) Breaks dormancy of seed and buds.

4) Abscisic acid –
a) Synthesized in mature leaves
b) Inhibits growth.
c) Promotes closing of stomata, wilting and falling of leaves .

5) Ethylene –
a) Helps in ripening of fruits and shows triple response(swollen node, lateral growth and inhibit elongation)
Plants have hormones that control their directional growth. In animals also, growth happens in carefully
controlled places.

Animal hormones
Control and coordination in animals is done by nervous system and hormones/ chemical system.
A cell,tissue or organ that synthesises and secretes a useful chemical compound required for a particular function
is called a gland.
Exocrine gland- secretes product into a duct. Eg salivary gland
Endocrine gland- are ductless glands . Eg. Pituitary glands release hormones in blood
Heterocrine glands –consist of exocrine and endocrine glands. Eg.- Pancreas(insulin-blood, amylase / trypsin-
digestion)
S.No Endocrine gland Hormone Functions
.
1 Pituitary gland Growth hormone Stimulates growth in all organs. Deficiency leads to
Thyroid stimulating dwarfism.
hormone Stimulates the functioning of thyroid gland
2 Thyroid gland Thyroxine Regulates metabolism of carbohydrates , proteins
and fats. Iodine is necessary for thyroid gland
3 Pancreas Insulin Regulates blood sugar level

4 Testes Testosterones Sperm production, development of male sex organ

and male features like deep voice, moustache ,
beard and body hair
5 Ovaries Oestrogen Egg production, development of female sex organ
during puberty.
6 Adrenal gland Adrenaline Prepares our body to function at maximum efficiency
(fight and fight during emergency situation like danger, running or
hormone) anger .It acts on heart as heart beats faster and
breathing rate increases.
7 Hypothalamus Releasing hormones Stimulates pituitary gland to release / regulate
hormones
8 Parathyroid Parathormone Regulates Ca and Phosphate level in blood
9 Thymus Thymus hormone Develop immune system
10 Pineal gland Melatonin Regulates sleep, mood and biological cycle
 Feedback mechanism: It is a self regulating mechanism, in which the level of one substance influences the level of
another. If the sugar level in blood rises, it is determined by the cells of pancreas which respond by producing
more insulin. As sugar level reduces, insulin secretion reduces.
Feedback mechanism regulates the action of hormones.

References:
NCERT BOOK
Biology today, Cordova
http://www.learncbse.in/cbse-notes/
CBSE Classs10 Science control and coordination/IMST SCHOOL MALKANGIRI https://youtu.be/ynlrPGRh2q4