UNIT 4. Interaction Function.

DATE:

PART 1. - WHAT IS THE INTERATION FUNCTION

Objectives:
 To understand the interaction function
 To describe the processes involved in the interaction function
Vocabulary
Interaction To perceive (stimuli)
To detect To respond
To analyze To generate
To execute To raise (an arm)
To synthesize To release
To contract To relax
Environment Receptors
Coordination centres Nervous system
Sense organs encephalon
Spinal cord Endocrine glands
Salivary gland Peristaltic (movements)
Hormones Effectors
Muscle Glands

Basic concepts
The interaction function allows humans to detect and respond to changes in the
environment, through three processes:
1st Perceiving stimuli; specialized cells, called receptors, detect changes in the
environment and send this information to the body’s coordination centers.
2nd Generating responses; the coordination centres analyze the information
received and generate a response to send to the effector organs. There are two
coordination centres

 The Nervous System is a network of organs, such as the encephalon and

spinal cord, responsible of responses such as contracting and relaxing
muscles to produce movements.
 The Endocrine system is a network of organs called endocrine glands, that
send responses to the effectors organs through the blood in the form of
chemical substances called hormones1:,

3rd Executing responses. The effectors execute the appropriate response generated
by the coordination centrers. There are two types of effectors:
 Muscles carry out voluntary movements, such as raising an arm, or involun-
tary movements, such as peristaltic movements in the intestine.
 Glands synthesize and release substances. For example, the salivary glands
release saliva in response to the presence or even smell of food.

Activities

1
Nervous System and Endocrine System together are considered like the two sides of a the same coin,
often kwon as the neuroendocrine system,
 UNIT 4. Interaction Function. DATE:

1. Complete the following sentences:

“The interaction function allows humans to ____________ and
____________ to changes in the environment
It is carried out through three processes: 1 st Perceiving _______________;
2nd ____________ responses; and 3rd _______________ responses

2. Complete the following scheme of how the interaction functions works, with the
correct piece of information given (A-G), such as the example (sense organs).

Nervous System B. Response C Effectors

D Receptors E Coordination centre F. Stimuli

G Muscle (acting upon the bones)

PART 2. PERCEPTION: THE SENSE

Objectives
 To learn about the perception of stimuli
 To learn about the five general kinds of receptors
 To distinguish between different sense organs of the human body:.

Vocabulary:
Hunger Thirst
 UNIT 4. Interaction Function. DATE:

Pressure Vibration
Movement light
Pain Smell/Nose
Touch/Skin Taste/Tongue
Hearing/Ear Sight/Eye
Mechanoreceptor Thermoreceptor
Chemoreceptor Photoreceptors
Nocireceptos Sense organs
Nerve (endings) Palatar
Sweet Salty
Sour Bitter

Basic concepts
PERCEPTION OF STIMULI is carried out via receptors. There are two types:
Internal receptors perceive changes inside the body and inform of its general state
(for example, perception of hunger or thirst).
External (or sensory) receptors perceive stimuli from the external
environment2
THE SENSES in humans are touch, taste, smell, hearing and sight.
Sensory receptors and other structures, form the sense organs.

TOUCH (SKIN),
There are various kinds of touch receptors under the skin to perceive
stimuli: thermoreceptors (heat and cold), mechanoreceptors (contact and
pressure), and nociceptors (pain).
They are also nerve endings unevenly distributed across the skin that
transmit information through the body nerves. Illustrations 1- touch receptors Image modified from Anaya

TASTE (TONGUE) & SMELL(NOSE),

Gustatory cells (taste) are sensitive to chemicals
dissolved in the saliva. They are found in the taste buds
(papillae), rounded structures located on the tongue and
palate.

There are 4 types of receptors for sweet, salty, sour and

bitter flavors. Food’s taste comes from the combination of
messages from them.

Olfactory cells (smell) are sensitive to gaseous

chemical substances in the air. They are located in the Illustrations 1- taste & smell.
Image modified from Anaya.
nasal passages and send impulses via olfactory nerve
to the brain

HEARING (EAR),

2
External receptors are classified according to stimulus as: 1. Mechanoreceptors perceive mechanical stimuli (pressure,
vibration and movement); 2. Thermoreceptors perceive temperature variations; 3. Chemoreceptors detect chemical substances;
4. Photoreceptors are light-sensitive; 5. Nocireceptors are sensitive to pain.
 UNIT 4. Interaction Function. DATE:

The ear is divided into three parts:

1st Outer ear, with the pinna(visible ear) and the ear canal;
2nd Middle ear, with the eardrum and the ossicles: the malleous (anvil), the incus
(hammer) and the stapes (stirrup).
3rd Inner ear, with the cochlea and the auditory hair cell (sensitive to vibrations of the
sound) and the semicircular canals and the balance cells (sensitive to movements in the
liquid they are surrounded by)
illustration 3 Ear Images modified from Anaya.
SIGHT (EYE), (rods & cones)
 The eye has two parts: the eyeball and
the auxiliary structures3

 The eyeball is the sphere filled with
liquid within the bone cavity. It is formed by
three layers:
1st The Sclera (outer) is white, except for the
front, the cornea, which is transparent, more
convex and with a membrane (conjunctiva),
which protect it.
2nd The Choroid (intermediate) forms in its
illustration 4 Eye Images modified from Anaya.
front part a coloured ring of muscle, the iris, which in turn
has the central orifice (pupil). Behind is the lens which focuses the images.
3rd The Retina (internal) contains the photoreceptors: rods and cones. The rods
perceive the intensity of the light and the cones perceive colours.

Activities
1. Match the types of external receptors to the stimuli they detect.

Mechanoreceptors Sensitive to pain

Chemore
Mechanorecepto Temperature
Thermorec Variation in light
Mechanorecepto
Photorece
rs ceptors variations
Chemical substances
Nocirece
rs eptors intensity
Changes inand colour
pressure
ptors
ptors and vibrations
2. Are these statements about the perception of Taste/Smell True or False ?

A. External stimuli related to the sense of taste are detected by the papillae. True/ False
B. Papillae are bumps located on the palate, the pharynx and the tongue. True/False
C. Taste buds are rounded structures located in the gustatory cells. True/False
D. Taste and smell are completely complete unrelatead sense organs. True/False

3
The auxiliary structures are the eyebrows, eyelids, eyelashes and lacrimal glands, which secrete
tears as a liquid form to protect the eyeball from dryness, sweat and foreign bodies.
 UNIT 4. Interaction Function. DATE:

3. Considering the light pathway, put these parts of the eye in order as in the
example:
A. Cornea, B. Photoreceptors (rod & cones), C. Vitreos humor,
D. Optic-nerve, E. Iris-Pupil, F. Lens,

1_____ 2_____ 3_____ 4_____ 5_____ 6_____

4. ¿In which layer of the eyeball are found the photoreceptors and what kind of
vision provide each type of receptor? ________________________

PART 3. NERVOUS COODINATION

PART 3.1. NEURON STUCTURE AND NERVE IMPULSE
Objectives
 To learn about the structure and types of neurons
 To learn about nervous impulse and its transmission.
Vocabulary
Highly differentiated Complex morphology
To travel To group
To connect To ralease
Waves Natural electricity
Soma Dendrites
Axon Axon terminal
Nerve fiber Sensory neuron
Motor neuron Interneuron
Neurotransmitter Synapse
Basic concepts

NEURONS are highly differentiated cells with complex morphology that constitute the
structural and functional units of the nervous system. They receive information from the
receptors and generated responses that are transmitted through the neurons, traveling in the
form of nerve impulses

STRUCTURE OF A NEURON Neurons have the following parts: 1) Soma (body cell), which
houses the nucleus and the cytoplasmic organelles; 2) Dendrites, which are short
branching extensions of the soma; 3) Axon, is a much longer extension of the cell body,
which has wider endings called axon terminals. The axons of several neurons group
together to make up nerve fibres, some of which in turn group together to form nerves.
Neurons are classified according to function as:
 Sensory neurons, connected to a receptor (via dendrites).
 Motor neurons connected to an effector (via axons)
 Interneurons (or association neurons), which connect sensory and motor
neurons.
 UNIT 4. Interaction Function. DATE:

NERVE IMPULSE Neurons transmit information in the

form of electrochemical messages, which travel along
the neuron membrane, always from the dendrites or from
the cell body towards the end of the axon. From there, the
neuron connects with another neuron (or an effector) to
transmit the impulse through a communication area called
the synapse. The transmitter neuron releases
substances, called neurotransmitters, which reach the
membrane of the receptor neuron and generate the same
impulse there.

Activities Part 3.1

1. Complete the following text about the

neurons. Illustration 1. Nerve impulse. Images modified from Anaya
“Neurons are _____ ____________ cells, with a _________
___________________.They are the main __________ and __________ units of
the nervous system. The responses generated by the nervous system are
transmitted via the neurons, and travel in the form of _______ ________.”

2. Fill the gaps in the picture of the neuron

structure, with the basic parts listed:

A. Axon
B. Nucleus
C. Dentrites
D. Nerve
E. Axon terminals
F. Soma
3. Match each neurons with specific type of
cell/organ they are connected to

4. Complete the text about the nerve impulse (transmission)

“Transmission of information by neurons is carried out in the form of
_____________________ ____________, which travel along the neuron
always from the _____________ or from the ____________ towards the end of
the ____________.
A ___________________ is a substance released by one _________________
neuron to the ______________ neuron, thus transmitting the ___________
_____________ between both neurons”
 UNIT 4. Interaction Function. DATE:

PART. 3.2. THE NERVOUS SYSTEM

Objectives
 To learn about the main parts of the nervous system
 To learn the difference between voluntary actions and reflex actions
Vocabulary
To generate Commands
Central Nervous System Peripheral Nervous System
Encephalon Spinal Cord
Bundle of (Nervous) To cushion
Spinal nerves Craneal nerves
Voluntary actions Reflex actions
To pick up Tu burn

Basic concepts

THE NERVOUS SYSTEM is a network of neurons that interprets stimuli sent by the
sense organs, and generates commands which tell the effector how to respond. It is made up
of the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.

CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (CNS)

coordinates all the functions of the body. It is
made up of the encephalon and the spinal
cord
 The Encephalon is the organ in
charge of controlling the whole body and is
protected by the skull and 3 membranes
(meninges), between which circulates the
cerebrospinal fluid, which cushions and
protects it.

 The spinal cord is a long bundle of

nerves, protected by the spine, which
connects the encephalon with the rest of the
body. It also coordinates the reflex actions

PERIPHERICAL NERVOUS SYSTEM (PNS) is made Illustration 2 Encephalon (right) and Spinal Cord (left).
up of nerves that connect the CNS to the body’s Images modified from Anaya and other sources
organs: 31 pairs of spinal nerves, which stem from
the spinal cord; and 12 pairs of cranial nerves, which originate from the encephalon4.
The PNS is divided into the somatic and autonomic PNS
 The somatic PNS controls voluntary movements such as locomotion.
 The autonomic PNS controls the involuntary functions of the vital organs, such
as the heart.

4
Nerves are classified as sensory nerves, which carry information from the receptors to the CNS and motor
nerves, which transmit commands from the CNS to the effectors
 UNIT 4. Interaction Function. DATE:

VOLUNTARY ACTIONS VERSUS REFLEX ACTIONS

In response to a stimulus, the receptors send information to the CNS, which processes it
and sends commands to the effectors so that they can respond to the changes. Some ac-
tions may be voluntary actions and some may be reflex actions.
 Voluntary actions are conscious, ‘deliberate’ responses which are coordinated by
the encephalon.
 Reflex actions are fast, involuntary and automatic responses, which are con-
trolled by the spinal cord without the involvement of the encephalon. This makes
the response faster

Illustration 4.Voluntary action (Left), for example picking a pencil Reflex action (Right) by-passing the brain, in this case, the
spinal cord generates the response, removing the hand is involuntary and very quick (carried out without the brain involvement)

Activities Part 3.2.

1. Match each part of the central nervous system to its function

2.
2.
2.
2.
2.
2.
2.
2.
Indicate if these antagonist actions are carried out by the sympathetic nervous system
(SNS) or the parasympathetic nervous systems (PNS) as in the example:
Ex: _SNS_ Inhibits salivation versus Stimulates salivation _PNS_
1. ______ Dilates pupil versus Contracts pupil ______
2. ______ Decreases heart rate versus Increases heart rate ______
3. ______ Stimulates digestion versus Inhibits digestion ______
4. ______ Relaja los bronquios versus Contrae bronquios ______

3. The following text describes how the nervous system performs a reflex action.
Complete it by choosing the correct words as in the example
“A reflex action involves a network of nervous elements known as the reflex_ _arc (A)
First ________________ detects the external stimulus; ________________transmits
the nerve impulse produced by the stimulus to the ________________ where
________________ generates an immediate response command. ¨The command is
sent via ______________to ______________which executes the response
A. reflex arc; B. spinal cord C. motor nerve D. a receptor
E. an interneuron. F. an effector organ G. sensory nerve