Lesson Proper for Week 8

THE SENSE ORGANS

Humans have five basic senses: touch, sight, hearing, smell and taste. The sensing organs associated
with each sense send information to the brain to help us understand and perceive the world around us.
People also have other senses in addition to the basic five.

Eyes – Sight or Ophthalmoception

These are the visual sensory organs in our body. These are sensitive to light images. The eyes vary in
color depending upon the amount of melanin present in our body. It helps in the sense of sight by
detecting and focusing on the light images

A. External Structure

Sclera

- It is a white visible portion. It is made up of dense connective tissue and protects the inner parts.

Conjunctiva

- It lines the sclera and made up of stratified squamous epithelium. It keeps our eyes moist and
clear and provides lubrication by secreting mucus and tears.

Cornea

- It is the transparent, anterior or front part of our eye, which covers the pupil and the iris. The
main function is to refract the light along with the lens.

Iris

- It is the pigmented, colored portion of the eye, visible externally. The main function of the iris is
to control the diameter of the pupil according to the light source.
Pupil

- It is the small aperture located in the center of the Iris. It allows light to enter and focus on the
retina.

A. Internal Structure

Lens

- It is a transparent, biconvex, lens of an eye. The lens is attached to the ciliary body by ligaments.
The lens along with cornea refracts light so that it focuses on the retina.

Retina

- It is the innermost layer of the eye. It is light sensitive and acts as a film of a camera.

Optic Nerve

- There are two types of cells present which perform functions distinct from each other. These are
Rod and Cones. Rods: These sensors function in low light and are found at the edges of the
retina. They also aid in peripheral vision. Cones: These types of retinal cells work best in bright
light, detecting fine details and color.

Aqueous Humour

- It is a watery fluid present between the cornea and the lens. It nourishes the eye and keeps it
inflated.

Vitreous Humous

- It is a transparent, jelly-like substance present between the lens and the retina. It contains water
(99%), collage, proteins, etc. The main function of vitreous humour is to protect eyes and
maintain its spherical shape.

Ears – Hearing or Audioception

Ears are the auditory sense organs of our body. They help us to perceive sounds. Our auditory
system detects vibrations in the air, and this is how we hear sounds. This is known as hearing or audio
caption.

The ears are divided into three sections, namely, outer ear, inner ear, and the middle ear. All
sounds are basically vibrations, so the outer ear transfers these vibrations into the ear canal, where
these vibrations are transformed by the brain into meaningful sound. Apart from hearing, this sense is
also important for balancing our body or equilibrium.
Outer Ear

 Pinna or auricle
- This is the outside part of the ear. Harnesses the sound waves and directs them into the ear
canal.
 External auditory canal or tube.
- This is the tube that connects the outer ear to the inside or middle ear.

Tympanic membrane (eardrum).

- It divides the external ear from the middle ear. Vibrates when sound hits it. These vibrations
move the tiny bones of the middle ear, which send vibrations to the inner ear.

Middle Ear

 Ossicles
- Three small bones that are connected and transmit the sound waves to the inner ear. The bones
are called malleus, incus, and stapes.
 Eustachian tube
- A canal that links the middle ear with the back of the nose. The eustachian tube helps to
equalize the pressure in the middle ear.

Inner Ear

 Cochlea
- This contains the nerves for hearing.
 Vestibule
- This contains receptors for balance.
 Semicircular canals
- This contains receptors for balance.
Tongue – Taste or Gustaoception

The tongue helps in perceiving various tastes and flavors. The taste buds are present between
the papillae on the tongue—these help in sensing different tastes.

The senses of smell and taste tend to work together. If one could not smell something, they
could not taste it either. The sense of taste is also known as gustaoception.

Taste buds on the tongue contain chemoreceptors that work similarly to the chemoreceptors in
the nasal cavity.

However, the chemoreceptors in the nose would detect any kind of smell, whereas there are
four different types of taste buds and each one can detect different types of tastes like sweetness,
sourness, bitterness and saltiness.
 Nose – Smell or Olfalcoception
The nose is an olfactory
organ. Our olfactory system helps
us to perceive different smells. This
sense of organ also aids our sense
of taste. The sense of smell is also
known as olfaction.
The olfactory cells tend to
line the top of the nasal cavity. On
one end, olfactory cells have cilia
that project into the nasal cavity
and on the other end of the cell, are
the olfactory nerve fibers.
As one breathes in, the air
enters the nasal cavity. The
olfactory cells are the
chemoreceptors, which means that
the olfactory cells have protein
receptors that can detect subtle
differences in chemicals. These
chemicals bind to the cilia, which
conducts a nerve impulse that is
carried to the brain. The brain then
translates these impulses into a
meaningful smell. During a cold, the
body produces mucus which blocks
the sense of smell; this is the reason
why the food which we eat tastes
bland.

Skin – Touch or Tactioceptio

Skin is the largest organ of our body. It is related to the sense of touch. The sense of touch is
also referred to as tactioception.

The skin contains general receptors which can detect touch, pain, pressure and temperature.
They are present throughout the skin. Skin receptors generate an impulse, and when activated, is
carried to the spinal cord and then to the brain.
Skin has three layers:

1. The epidermis, the outermost layer of skin, provides a waterproof barrier and creates our skin
tone.
2. The dermis, beneath the epidermis, contains tough connective tissue, hair follicles, and sweat
glands.
3. The deeper subcutaneous tissue (hypodermis) is made of fat and connective tissue.

THE MAJOR INTERNAL ORGANS OF THE BODY

1. The Brain

The brain is an amazing three-pound organ that controls all functions of the body, interprets
information from the outside world, and embodies the essence of the mind and soul. Intelligence,
creativity, emotion, and memory are a few of the many things governed by the brain. Protected within
the skull, the brain is composed of the cerebrum, cerebellum, and brainstem.

Cerebrum: is the largest part of the brain and is composed of right and left hemispheres. It performs
higher functions like interpreting touch, vision and hearing, as well as speech, reasoning, emotions,
learning, and fine control of movement.

Cerebellum: is located under the cerebrum. Its function is to coordinate muscle movements,
maintain posture, and balance.

Brainstem: acts as a relay center connecting the cerebrum and cerebellum to the spinal cord. It
performs many automatic functions such as breathing, heart rate, body temperature, wake and sleep
cycles, digestion, sneezing, coughing, vomiting, and swallowing.

2. The Lungs
 The lungs are a pair of spongy, air-filled organs located on either side of the chest (thorax). The
trachea (windpipe) conducts inhaled air into the lungs through its tubular branches, called bronchi.
The bronchi then divide into smaller and smaller branches (bronchioles), finally becoming
microscopic. The right lung consists of three lobes: the superior, middle, and inferior lobes. The left
lung consists of two lobes: the superior and inferior lobes.

The main function of the lungs is the process of gas exchange called respiration (or breathing). In
respiration, oxygen from incoming air enters the blood, and carbon dioxide, a waste gas from the
metabolism, leaves the blood.

3. The Liver

The liver is a large, meaty organ that sits on the right side of the belly. Weighing about 3 pounds,
the liver is reddish-brown in color and feels rubbery to the touch. Normally you can't feel the liver,
because it's protected by the rib cage.

The liver has two large sections, called the right and the left lobes. The gallbladder sits under the
liver, along with parts of the pancreas and intestines. The liver and these organs work together to
digest, absorb, and process food.

The liver's main job is to filter the blood coming from the digestive tract, before passing it to the
rest of the body. The liver also detoxifies chemicals and metabolizes drugs. As it does so, the liver
secretes bile that ends up back in the intestines. The liver also makes proteins important for blood
clotting and other functions.

4. The Kidney
The kidneys are a pair of bean-shaped organs on either side of your spine, below your ribs and
behind your belly. The right kidney, however, sits a little lower than the left to accommodate the
size of the liver. Each kidney is about 4 or 5 inches long, roughly the size of a large fist. They help the
body pass waste as urine. They also help filter blood before sending it back to the heart. A nephron
is the basic unit of structure in the kidney.
A nephron is used separate to water, ions and small molecules from the blood, filter out wastes
and toxins, and return needed molecules to the blood.

5. The Bladder
The urinary bladder is a muscular sac in the pelvis, just above and behind the pubic
bone. When empty, the bladder is about the size and shape of a pear.
The urinary bladder is a muscular sac in the pelvis, just above and behind the pubic
bone. When empty, the bladder is about the size and shape of a pear.
 The function of the urinary bladder is to collect and store urine from the kidneys until it
can be excreted via urination. The typical human bladder can store an average of 300 mL to 500
mL of urine.

6. The Heart
The heart is a muscular organ about the size of a fist, located just behind and slightly left
of the breastbone. The heart pumps blood through the network of arteries and veins called the
cardiovascular system.
The heart has four chambers:
1. The right atrium receives blood from the veins and pumps it to the right ventricle.
2. The right ventricle receives blood from the right atrium and pumps it to the lungs,
where it is loaded with oxygen.
3. The left atrium receives oxygenated blood from the lungs and pumps it to the left
ventricle.
4. The left ventricle (the strongest chamber) pumps oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the
body. The left ventricle’s vigorous contractions create our blood pressure.
The coronary arteries run along the surface of the heart and provide oxygen-rich blood
to the heart muscle. A web of nerve tissue also runs through the heart, conducting the complex
signals that govern contraction and relaxation. Surrounding the heart is a sac called the
pericardium.
7. The Stomach
The stomach is a muscular organ located on the left side of the upper abdomen. The
stomach receives food from the esophagus. As food reaches the end of the esophagus, it enters
the stomach through a muscular valve called the lower esophageal sphincter. The stomach
secretes acid and enzymes that digest food.
8. The Intestines
The intestines are a long, continuous tube running from the stomach to the anus. Most
absorption of nutrients and water happen in the intestines.
The intestines include the small intestine, large intestine, and rectum. The small
intestine (small bowel) is about 20 feet long and about an inch in diameter. Its job is to absorb
most of the nutrients from what we eat and drink.
The large intestine (colon or large bowel) is about 5 feet long and about 3 inches in
diameter. The colon absorbs water from wastes, creating stool. As stool enters the rectum,
nerves there create the urge to defecate.