INTRODUCTION TO COORDINATION

COORDINATION:

The organization of the different elements of a complex body or activity so as to enable them to work together effectively.

COORDINATION IN LIVING ORGANISMS:

In organisms, various organs and systems participate and play their role as and when required. Every organ of an organism does not work continuously except the heart. Brain and lungs, which according, to their role in the body is required to work 24 hours a day. You can imagine what a bizarre scene it would present, if you want to lift an object in which your both hands are required but your hand do not follow your command or if one of your hand is trying to lift it and the other hand is opposing it at the same time, their would surely be a chaotic situation.

For proper functioning of the body of organisms, it is therefore, necessary that various organ and system work only when required, do their exact type of job and also should not overdo or under do their jobs. When more than one organ is associated with an activity all the organs should operate in a sequence for the successful accomplishment of that particular function. All these attributes of physiology can be achieved when the body works as one unit, in which its different organs and systems cooperate and work in harmony with each other, i.e. its diverse functions are coordinated. Their coordination can ensure the profitable existence of the organisms. Animals co-ordination is produced by the two systems. 

• Nervous system.
• Endocrine system or Chemical coordination.

In both types of co-ordinations, the change (stimulus), whether external or internal is perceived by special organs which are called sensory organs. Any activity of an organism, when analyzed can be identified as consist of responses. A response is a reaction to some action which is in the form of a stimulus. The stimuli are changes in the environment both external and internal. The change in the environment already mentioned is perceived/felt by special organs of the body, which is specialized to receive a particular type of stimulus. As for example, the sound waves received by the ears. The stimulus of light is received by eyes. The stimuli of smell are received by the nose. Those organs which are specifically built to receive a particular type of stimulus are called sensory organs or receptors. The information about the stimuli is then conveyed to the brain or spinal cord through neurons or nerves and to endocrine glands through blood.

The brain or spinal cord and endocrine produces distinct responses are known as effector organs, which are muscles and glands. The organs play their role according to the stimuli.

Following figure makes the idea clear: