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CHAPTER 6
CONTROL AND COORDINATION

CONTENTS
❖ Tropic movements in plants
❖ Introduction of plant hormones
❖ Control and co-ordination in animals: Nervous system; Voluntary,
involuntary and reflex action
❖ Chemical co-ordination: animal hormones.
❖ Movements are shown by organisms in response to stimuli.

❖ Types of tropic movements In plants movements are growth dependent and

growth independent. They are also under the control phytohormones.

• Phototropism Light is the Towards – positive Away from the light

stimulus phototropism - negative
phototropism

• Geotropism Gravity is the Towards – positive Away from the

stimulus geotropism gravity -
negative geotropism
• Hydrotropism Water is the Towards – positive Away from the
stimulus hydrotropism water -negative
hydrotropism

• Chemotropism Chemicals are Towards – positive Away from the

the stimulus chemotropism chemicals -
negative
chemotropism

PHOTOTROPISM GEOTROPISM
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❖ CHEMICAL COORDINATION IN PLANTS – Plant hormones / Phytohormones/

Plant growth regulators
• They are the chemical compounds regulating plant growth and development.
• These are synthesized in less quantity in one part of plant body and transported to
other part where they perform specific physiological processes.
• Different phytohormones and their functioning in plants are

PLANT HORMONE ACTION

a) Auxin • Growth promoter

• Stem elongation
• Root growth
• Apical dormancy
• Photo tropism

b) Gibberellins • Growth promoter

• Growth of Stem
• Cell elongation

c) Cytokinin • Growth promoter

• Shoot and branch growth
• Cell division

d) Abscisic acid • Growth inhibitor

• Wilting of leaves

e) Ethylene • Growth inhibitor

• Ripening of fruits
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❖ CONTROL AND CO-ORDINATION IN ANIMALS: In man the responses are

coordinated and controlled by the nervous, muscular and endocrine systems.
❖ HUMAN NERVOUS SYSTEM: One of the most complex organ systems to ever
evolve, the human nervous system consists of two parts, namely:
• Central Nervous System (consists of the brain and spinal cord)
• Peripheral Nervous System (includes all the nerves of the body)
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❖ CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS) is often called the central processing unit of
the body. It consists of the brain and the spinal cord. The brain and spinal cord
constitute the central nervous system. They receive information from all parts of the
body and integrate it.
• Brain: The brain is one of the important, largest and central organs of
the human nervous system. It is the control unit of the nervous system, which
helps us in discovering new things, remembering and understanding, making
decisions, and a lot more.
• The brain is protected by cranium (bony box). Inside the box, the brain is
contained in a fluid-filled balloon which provides further shock absorption. The
vertebral column or backbone which protects the spinal cord. The brain and spinal
cord both are cushioned by 3 layers of membranes (called meninges) and
cerebrospinal fluid, which provides frontal, lateral and dorsal protection. The
human brain is composed of following major parts-

a) Forebrain: The anterior part of the brain consists of Cerebrum, Hypothalamus

and Thalamus.
Function: Cerebrum a part of the largest part of the fore brain and is responsible
for reasoning, memory, visual processing, emotions, speech, recognition of
auditory and taste stimuli, etc. It initiates voluntary actions.
b) Midbrain: The smaller and central part of the brainstem consists of Tectum and
Tegmentum.
Function: Mid brain is the centre for visual and auditory reflexes. Many involuntary
actions are controlled by coordination of mid brain and hind brain.
c) Hindbrain: The central region of the brain composed of Cerebellum, Medulla and
Pons.
Function: Cerebellum is responsible for precision of voluntary actions and
maintaining the posture and balance of the body. Pons relays signals from the
hindbrain to the forebrain. It also takes care of the functions like sleep, respiration,
facial sensation etc.
Note:
✓ Medulla Oblongata controls all involuntary movements like vomiting, sneezing,
yawning, heartbeat, breathing, blood pressure, etc and continues as the spinal
cord.
✓ The brain and spinal cord constitute the central nervous system. They receive
information from all parts of the body and integrate it. The communication
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between the central nervous system and the other parts of the body is facilitated
by the peripheral nervous system consisting of cranial nerves (12 pairs) arising
from the brain and spinal nerves (31 pairs) arising from the spinal cord.

❖ PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (PNS) is the lateral part of the nervous system
that develops from the central nervous system which connects different parts of the
body with the CNS. We carry out both voluntary and involuntary actions with the
help of peripheral nerves. PNS includes two types of nerve fibers:
• Afferent nerve fibers – These are responsible for transmitting messages from
tissues and organs to the CNS.
• Efferent nerve-fibers – These are responsible for conveying messages from CNS
to the corresponding peripheral organ.
❖ Classification of the peripheral nervous system:

• Somatic neural system (SNS): It is the neural system that controls the voluntary
actions in the body by transmitting impulses from CNS to skeletal muscle cells. It
consists of the somatic nerves.
• Autonomic neural system (ANS): The autonomic neural system is involved in
involuntary actions like regulation of physiological functions (digestion, respiration,
salivation, etc.). It is a self-regulating system which conveys the impulses from the
CNS to the smooth muscles and involuntary organs (heart, bladder and pupil).

❖ NEURON: Nerve cell or neuron is the structural and functional unit of the nervous
system in man. Each neuron is having: dendrites, cyton/cell body, axon and nerve
ending.

neuron

• Dendrites acquire information

• Information travels through axon as an electrical impulse
• At nerve ending this electrical impulse converts into a chemical signal for onward
transmission.

Note: How nervous impulse travels in the body?

• The stimuli is detected the specialised tips of some nerve cells usually called
receptors usually located in our sense organs, such as the inner ear, the nose, the
tongue, and so on. (gustatory receptors will detect taste while olfactory receptors
will detect smell)
• This information, acquired at the end of the dendritic tip of a nerve cell sets off a
chemical reaction creating an electrical impulse.
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• This impulse travels from the dendrite to the cell body, and then along the axon to
its end.
• At the end of the axon, the electrical impulse sets off the release of some
chemicals. These chemicals cross the gap, or synapse, and start a similar
electrical impulse in a dendrite of the next neuron. This is a general scheme of
how nervous impulses travel in the body.
• Similar synapse finally allows delivery of such impulses from neurons other cells,
such as muscles cells or gland

❖ REFLEX ACTION: A spontaneous sudden, involuntary reaction of the body as a

response to stimuli from the surroundings.
❖ REFLEX ARC: Reflex arc is the path followed by an electrical impulse during a
reflex action.

Reflex action

❖ HORMONE IN ANIMALS: “Hormones are chemicals synthesized and produced by

the specialized glands to control and regulate the activity of certain cells and organs.
The specialized secretary glands are known as endocrine glands.”
To regulate various functions, different types of hormones are produced in the body.
They are classified as follows:
• Peptide Hormones: Peptide hormones are composed of amino acids and are
soluble in water. Example: Insulin.
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• Steroid Hormones: steroid hormones are fat-soluble and are able to pass through
a cell membrane. Example: Sex hormones such as testosterone, estrogens and
progesterone.

GLAND LOCATION HORMONE ROLE Characteristics

Pituitary Located at Growth Regulate • Also called Master gland as

the base hormone growth and it controls the secretions of
of the development all the other endocrine
brain. glands.
• Under-secretion causes
Dwarfism.
• Over-secretion causes
Gigantism in children.

Thyroid Thyroxin located in Regulates • Iodine is required to

the carbohydrate synthesize thyroxin in the
throat s, proteins body.
and fats
• Under-secretion of thyroxin
metabolism
leads to goitre.
in the body.

Pancreas Insulin behind the Regulate blood • It is a dual gland that is

stomach sugar level works as both endocrines as
in the well an exocrine gland.
abdome
• Under secretion of insulin
n.
leads to diabetes.

Adrenal adrenaline Occurs in Stress hormone • Adrenaline helps in flight

pairs (enable the and fights response so it is
one on also called flight and flight
body to
above hormone.
prepare in
each the stressed
kidney. situation)
Increasing,
breathing
rate.

Testes testosterone Outside the Take care of • They are dual glands that
abdomin male are work as both endocrines
al cavity secondary as well exocrine glands.
in male. sexual
characters.

Ovary oestrogen On either Take care of • They are dual glands that
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side of female are work as both endocrines

uterus in secondary as well exocrine glands.
the sexual
lower characters.
abdome
n.

❖ Movements shown by plants in response to stimuli

TROPIC MOVEMENTS NASTIC MOVEMENTS

Growth dependent movement in the Growth independent movement in the

response to stimuli. response to stimuli.

Directional movement Non-directional movement

Depends on the direction of the Does not depends on the direction of the
stimulus stimulus

Cell division is the reason for action Change in the turgor pressure is the reason
for action

Slow (Time taking) Immediate (Real time response)

• Geotropism: Roots growing • Thigmotropism: Drooping of leaves of

towards earth in response to water. ‘Touch me not plant’ on just touching it.
• Phototropism: Shoot turns towards • Internal response: Opening and closing of
light stomata.
• Chemotropism: Growth of pollen
tube towards ovule.
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MIND MAP for Control and Coordination in Plants