Integration of Body Systems

Flashcards on Integration of Body Systems

System Integration

Complex living organisms have evolved to make use of living, or body, systems made up of component parts that collectively perform an overall function

Tissues

A group of cells that work together to perform a particular function.

Emergent Properties

Properties emerging when individual cells organize and interact to produce living organisms. The whole is greater than the sum of its parts

Nervous System

Consists of the central nervous system (CNS) – the brain and spinal cord, and the peripheral nervous system (PNS) – all of the nerves in the body. Allows us to make sense of our surroundings and respond to them, and to coordinate and regulate body functions

Endocrine System

A hormone is a chemical substance produced by an endocrine gland and carried by the blood.

Hormones

Chemicals which transmit information, via the blood, from one part of the organism to another and that bring about a change; alter the activity of one or more specific target organs.

Cerebral Cortex

The outer layer of the brain which is divided into two hemispheres. It’s highly folded and is responsible for higher-order processes such as intelligence, memory, consciousness and personality

Cerebellum

Underneath the cerebral cortex and is responsible for balance, muscle coordination and movement

Brainstem

Relays messages between the cerebral cortex, the cerebellum and the spinal cord. A key part is the medulla which controls unconscious activities such as heart rate and breathing

Pituitary Gland

This gland is responsible for producing many hormones including those involved in controlling the menstrual cycle (FSH and LH)

Hypothalamus

This region of the brain is involved in regulating body temperature, it also producing hormones which control the pituitary gland

Spinal Cord

A neural pathway between the body and the brain, yet it can also process information independently from the brain

Receptor

A specialized cell that can detect changes in the environment that cause a stimulus

Motor Neurones

Used to carry action potentials to muscles to initiate the movement required

Nerves

Made up of bundles of sensory neurones or motor neurones

Reflexes

Reflex responses are actions of the body that occur without conscious thought; automatic and rapid, minimizing damage to the body and therefore aiding survival

Reflex Arc

A pathway along which impulses are transmitted from a receptor to an effector without involving conscious regions of the brain

Melatonin

Secreted by the pineal gland, which is located in the brain. Secretion increases in the evening in response to darkness and decreases at dawn in response to light, leading to our diurnal behaviour patterns

Epinephrine

A hormone that will prepare your body for reacting to a stressful situation. Reaction is often called the fight or flight response

Medulla

Cardioregulatory centre in the brain, with two distinct parts: the acceleratory centre, which causes the heart to speed up, and the inhibitory centre, which causes the heart to slow down

Respiratory Centres

Cells which control ventilation rates in the body; located in the medulla of the brain

Peristalsis

A series of muscle contractions in the walls of the oesophagus or small intestine that pass like a wave along the alimentary canal

Tropisms

Growth responses that can be towards a stimulus (positive tropisms) or away from a stimulus (negative tropisms); enable plants to maximize their chances of survival

Phototropism

Plant shoots are positively phototropic, meaning they grow towards light; ensures plants maximise the amount of light they can absorb for photosynthesis

Phytohormones

Plant hormones that regulate their growth, development, reproductive processes, longevity, and even death

Auxins

A group of plant hormones that influence many aspects of plant growth; in shoots, auxin causes cells to elongate, leading to stem growth

Ethylene

A gas produced by fruit during the later stages of fruit ripening; the gas can diffuse from one fruit to adjacent fruit which triggers further release of ethylene. Positive feedback loop.