Control and Coordination Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering the key structures, functions, and hormones involved in control and coordination in animals and plants based on the Chapter 6 transcript.

Gustatory receptors

Specialised receptors located in the tongue that detect taste.

Olfactory receptors

Specialised receptors, usually located in the nose, that detect smell.

Neuron

The structural and functional unit of the nervous system, specialised for conducting information via electrical impulses.

Dendrite

The part of a neuron where information is acquired and an electrical impulse is first set off.

Axon

The long part of a neuron along which an electrical impulse travels from the cell body to the nerve ending.

Synapse

The gap between the end of the axon of one neuron and the dendrite of the next, where chemicals are released to transmit an impulse.

Reflex arc

A quick-response connection where sensory nerves meet motor nerves, usually occurring in the spinal cord.

Central nervous system (CNS)

The part of the nervous system consisting of the brain and the spinal cord.

Peripheral nervous system

The network consisting of cranial nerves from the brain and spinal nerves from the spinal cord that facilitates communication between the CNS and the rest of the body.

Fore-brain

The main thinking part of the brain, containing regions specialised for hearing, smell, sight, and the sensation of feeling full (hunger).

Cerebellum

A part of the hind-brain responsible for the precision of voluntary actions and maintaining the posture and balance of the body.

Medulla

A part of the hind-brain that controls involuntary actions such as blood pressure, salivation, and vomiting.

Cranium

The bony box, also known as the skull, which protects the brain.

Phototropism

Directional growth movement of a plant in response to light, where shoots bend towards the light.

Geotropism

Directional growth movement of plant parts in response to gravity, where roots grow downwards and shoots grow upwards.

Chemotropism

The growth movement of plant parts in response to chemical stimuli, such as the growth of pollen tubes towards ovules.

Auxin

A plant hormone synthesised at the shoot tip that stimulates cells to grow longer, aiding in movements like phototropism.

Gibberellins

Plant hormones that help in the growth of the stem.

Cytokinins

Plant hormones that promote cell division, found in high concentrations in fruits and seeds.

Abscisic acid

A plant hormone that inhibits growth and causes effects such as the wilting of leaves.

Adrenaline

A hormone secreted by the adrenal glands directly into the blood to prepare the body for 'fight or flight' by increasing heart and breathing rates.

Thyroxin

A hormone produced by the thyroid gland that regulates carbohydrate, protein, and fat metabolism for body growth.

Goitre

A disease resulting from iodine deficiency, characterised by a swollen neck due to an affected thyroid gland.

Insulin

A hormone produced by the pancreas that helps in regulating blood sugar levels.

Feedback mechanism

The regulatory system that controls the timing and amount of hormones released in the body, such as the regulation of insulin based on blood sugar levels.