HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY Chapter Breathing and Exchange of Gases Chapter Body Fluids and Circulation Chapter Excretory Products and their Elimination Chapter Locomotion and Movement Chapter Neural Control and Coordination Chapter Chemical Coordination and Integration A LFONSO C ORTI , Italian anatomist, was born in . Corti began his scientific career studying the cardiovascular systems of reptiles. Later, he turned his attention to the mammalian auditory system. In , he published a paper describing a structure located on the basilar membrane of the cochlea containing hair cells that convert sound vibrations into nerve impulses, the organ of Corti. He died in the year . Alfonso Corti ( – ) As you have read earlier, oxygen (O ) is utilised by the organisms to indirectly break down simple molecules like glucose, amino acids, fatty acids, etc., to derive energy to perform various activities. Carbon dioxide (CO ) which is harmful is also released during the above catabolic reactions. It is, therefore, evident that O has to be continuously provided to the cells and CO produced by the cells have to be released out. This process of exchange of O from the atmosphere with CO produced by the cells is called breathing, commonly known as respiration . Place your hands on your chest; you can feel the chest moving up and down. You know that it is due to breathing. How do we breathe? The respiratory organs and the mechanism of breathing are described in the following sections of this chapter.