The Living Body: Components of a Reflex Arc, Endocrine Glands, Nervous and Endocrine System Coordination, Male and Female Reproductive System

Running head: THE LIVING BODY
The Living Body
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1THE LIVING BODY
3.1 Describe the components of a simple reflex arc
The neurological mechanism, which is responsible for the conduction of nerve impulse in
the autonomous nervous system, that occurs in response to the environmental stimuli (Saladin
2015). It is called an arc because of the shape of pathway it travels with the nerve impulse. There
are basic five components taking part in the mechanism of reflex arc described in the following
figure number 1.
Fig No: 1 Reflex Arc Mechanism in Tissues.
Source: (Marieb and Hoehn 2013)
1. Receptor centre: This is the first component of the reflex arc that receive the external
stimuli. It is a nerve ending (dendrite) which is attached to the exposed surface of the skin
containing receptor centres for detection of external and environment dependant stimuli.
2. Sensory nerve cell: The next step is the reception of stimuli from the initial receptor loci;
the sensory dependant nerves do this, which transmits the electrical impulse generated to
the brain and spinal cord. This transmission occurs less than seconds in after the
reception of the stimuli.
3. Inter-nerve cell: This is the third component of the reflex arc responsible for the relaying
of the electrical impulse transmission; hence, they are called relay neurons, whose

2THE LIVING BODY
function is to process and conduct impulse and relaying reflex to the motor nerves from
the grey matter.
4. Motor nerve cell: The fourth component of the reflex arc, carrying the outward impulse
of action to the effecter cells from brain or spinal cord.
5. Effecter nerve cell: The last and fifth component of the reflex arc, giving the reflex
response against the stimuli, which may or may not be at the same position of the
reception centre.
3.2 Identify the function of the main endocrine glands
Fig :2 Overview of the endocrine system
Source: (Marieb and Hoehn 2013)