14. Sense Organs

Learning Objectives List the four general types of stimuli that can trigger a response from sensory receptors. List and describe the visceral senses. Differentiate between superficial and central temperature sensors. List and describe the processes that contribute to nociception. Describe the structure of the taste buds. List and describe the special senses. Describe the structures and functions of the components that make up the ear and the eyeball. Describe the processes that contribute to the sense of equilibrium. Describe the structures of the conjunctiva and eyelids. Describe the origin of tears and explain how tears flow onto and drain from the eye.

General types of stimuli Mechanical stimuli (e.g., touch, hearing, balance) Thermal stimuli (e.g., hot and cold) Electromagnetic stimuli (e.g., vision) Chemical stimuli (e.g., taste and smell)

General Senses Table 14-1 Sense What Is Sensed Type of Stimulus Visceral sensations Hunger, thirst, hollow-organ fullness Chemical, mechanical Touch Touch and pressure Mechanical Temperature Heat and cold Thermal Pain Intense stimuli of any type Mechanical, chemical, or thermal Proprioception Body position and movement Mechanical

Visceral sensations Most are vague and poorly localized Sensations of hunger and thirst Also include visceral stretch receptors in GI tract and urinary system

Touch and Pressure Tactile sense: sensation of something being in contact with the surface of the body Pressure: sensation of something pressing on the body surface Different touch and pressure receptors produce sensations of light contact, deep pressure, vibration, or hair movement

Temperature Superficial temperature receptors - in the skin Detect upward or downward changes in skin temperature Central temperature receptors - in the hypothalamus Monitor the temperature of the blood CNS can activate mechanisms (e.g., sweating, piloerection) to correct hypothermia or hyperthermia

Pain Nociceptors - pain receptors Pain receptors are widely distributed inside and on the surface of the body Not present in the brain May be simple free nerve endings or more specialized structures that detect mechanical forces, temperature, etc .

Pain Processes Transduction: conversion of painful stimulus into nerve impulse Transmission: conduction of nerve impulse to the spinal cord

Pain Processes Modulation: changes the sensory nerve impulse Can amplify or suppress sensory impulses Perception: conscious awareness of painful stimuli

Proprioception Sense of body position and movement Stretch receptors in skeletal muscles, tendons, ligaments, and joint capsules sense movements of limbs, positions of joints, the state of contraction of muscles, and the amount of tension being exerted on tendons and ligaments

Special Senses Table 14-1 Sense What Is Sensed Type of Stimulus Taste Tastes Chemical Smell Odors Chemical Hearing Sounds Mechanical Equilibrium Balance and head position Mechanical Vision Light Electromagnetic

Taste Gustatory sense Chemical receptors: taste buds in oral cavity Papillae - small elevated structures on the tongue Also found in the lining of the mouth and pharynx

Smell Olfactory sense Very important in most nonhuman animals Olfactory cells and supporting cells in epithelial patches in nasal passages

Smell Hairlike processes project up from olfactory cells into the mucous layer that covers the nasal epithelium Odor molecules dissolve in the mucus and contact the sensory processes Nerve impulses are generated, travel to the brain, and are interpreted as particular smells.

Hearing Auditory sense Converts vibrations of air molecules into nerve impulses Most structures of the ear are located in the temporal bones of the skull

Hearing External ear - acts as a funnel to collect sound wave vibrations and direct them to the eardrum Middle ear - amplifies and transmits the vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear Inner ear - contains the sensory receptors that convert the mechanical vibrations to nerve impulses, along with receptors for the equilibrium sense

External Ear Pinna: elastic cartilage and skin External auditory canal: membrane-lined tube

External Ear Tympanic membrane: thin connective tissue membrane Tightly stretched across the opening between the external auditory canal and the middle ear cavity Sound wave vibrations strike the tympanic membrane and cause it to vibrate

Middle Ear Three ossicles (small bones) link the tympanic membrane with the cochlea of the inner ear Act as a system of levers that transmit sound wave vibrations from the tympanic membrane to the cochlea Eustachian tube connects the middle ear cavity with the pharynx Equalizes air pressure on the two sides of the tympanic membrane

Middle Ear Ossicles Malleus: outermost bone; attached to tympanic membrane Incus: middle bone Stapes: medial-most bone; attached to membrane that covers the oval window of the cochlea

Inner Ear Cochlea: shell-shaped spiral cavity in the temporal bone Organ of Corti: fluid-filled portion that makes up the receptor organ of hearing

Inner Ear Organ of Corti Runs along the cochlear duct on the basilar membrane Consists of hair cells (hearing receptors), supporting cells, and the tectorial membrane

Hearing Sound wave vibrations cause the tympanic membrane and ossicles in the middle ear to vibrate. Causes vibration of fluid around the cochlear duct

Hearing Fluid vibration causes the cochlear duct to move Causes the tectorial membrane and the hair cells of the organ of Corti to rub against each other Generates nerve impulses that travel to the brain and are interpreted as sound Different frequencies of sound wave vibrations stimulate different areas along the length of the organ of Corti

Equilibrium Mechanical sense - helps maintain balance by keeping track of the position and movements of the head Involves equilibrium receptors and information from the eyes and proprioceptors Receptors are located the vestibule and semicircular canals in inner ear

Vestibule Between the cochlea and semicircular canals Composed of utricle and saccule Hair cells covered by a gelatinous matrix that contains crystals of calcium carbonate (otoliths)

Vestibule Gravity causes otoliths and the gelatinous matrix to put pressure on the hairs Movement of the head bends sensory hairs Generates nerve impulses that give the brain information about position of the head

Semicircular Canals Located opposite the vestibule from the cochlea Contain fluid-filled membranous tubes Ampulla: enlarged area near the utricle end of each semicircular canal

Semicircular Canals Crista ampullaris: receptor within ampulla Supporting cells and hair cells with modified dendrites sticking up into gelatinousstructure (cupula)

Semicircular Canals When the head moves, fluid movement lags behind the movement of the canal itself. Movement of the fluid pulls on the cupula and bends the hairs. Generates nerve impulses that give the brain information about motion of the head

Vision Most components of the eye function to help form an accurate visual image, not detect it. Photoreceptors that detect the image and generate visual nerve impulses are in a single layer of cells in the retina.

Eyeball Layers Outer fibrous layer Middle vascular layer Inner nervous layer

Eyeball Outer Fibrous Layer Cornea and sclera Cornea: transparent; admits light to interior of the eye Arrangement of collagen fibers; no blood vessels Sclera: "white" of the eye Dense fibrous connective tissue Limbus: junction of the cornea and the sclera

Eyeball Middle Vascular Layer Choroid: between the sclera and the retina Pigment and blood vessels In most animals, choroid forms the tapetum - highly reflective area in the rear of the eye

Eyeball Middle Vascular Layer Iris: pigmented muscular diaphragm Controls amount of light that enters the posterior part of the eyeball Pupil: opening at center of iris

Eyeball Middle Vascular Layer Ciliary body: ring-shaped structure behind the iris Muscles that adjust shape of the lens to allow near and far vision

Eyeball Inner Nervous Layer Retina Lines the back of the eye Contains the sensory receptors for vision, the rods and cones

Compartments of the Eyeball Aqueous compartment Subdivided by the iris into anterior and posterior chambers Contains a clear watery fluid: aqueous humor Produced in the posterior chamber by cells of the ciliary body

Compartments of the Eyeball Vitreous compartment Contains a clear gelatinous fluid called vitreous humor Vitreous humor fills the whole back of the eyeball behind the lens and ciliary body

Lens Layers of fibers Elastic and biconvex Front surface is in contact with aqueous humor; back surface is in contact with vitreous humor Helps focus a clear image on the retina

Lens Accomodation: process by which the shape of the lens is changed to allow close-up and distant vision Relaxation of ciliary muscles causes tension on suspensory ligaments; flattens the lens Contraction of ciliary muscles releases tension on the suspensory ligaments

Retina Multilayered Lines most of the vitreous compartment Pigment layer Photoreceptor layer Bipolar cell layer Ganglion cell layer Layer of nerve fibers

Retina Optic Disc: site where nerve fibers on the inside surface of the retina converge and leave the eye to form the optic nerve Photoreceptor cells: neurons with modified dendrites Rods - more sensitive to light Cones - more sensitive to color and detail

Extraocular Structures Conjunctiva: thin transparent membrane Covers the front portion of the eyeball and lines the interior surfaces of the eyelids Conjunctival sac: space between the bulbar and palpebral portions of the conjunctiva

Extraocular Structures Eyelids: upper and lower folds of skin lined by the thin, moist conjunctiva Lateral and medial canthus: corners where the eyelids come together Tarsal glands: produce waxy substance that helps prevent tears from overflowing onto the face

Extraocular Structures Nictitating membrane: third eyelid of domestic animals located medially between eyelids and eyeball T-shaped plate of cartilage covered by conjunctiva

Extraocular Structures Lacrimal apparatus: structures that produce and secrete tears and drain them away from the surface of the eye Lacrimal puncta Lacrimal sac Nasolacrimal duct

Extraocular Structures Eye muscles attach to the sclera of the eye Capable of a wide range of movements Dorsal, ventral, medial, and lateral rectus muscles Dorsal and ventral oblique muscles

14. Sense Organs

More Related Content

What's hot (20)

Viewers also liked (8)

Similar to 14. Sense Organs (20)

More from SUNY Ulster (20)

Recently uploaded (20)

14. Sense Organs

Editor's Notes