Concept and Need of Coordination

In multi-cellular organisms different types of functions are performed by different types of cells. It is called division of labor. With the division of labor there is specialization of cells. One group of cells perform only one type of function. When different types of cells are performing different types of functions, then these functions must be coordinated. For example, during exercise the muscles will need extra supplies of glucose and oxygen. To meet this demand, lungs breathe faster and deeper to obtain the extra oxygen and the heart pumps more rapidly to get the oxygen and glucose to the muscles more quickly.

There is a part in the brain called medulla. In it, there is breathing center. The cells In the breathing center can detect the change in the concentration of carbon dioxide. If the concentration is more, the medulla will give message through nerve to the rib muscles, diaphragm and abdominal muscles to work rapidly to get rid of excess of CO₂ and to get oxygen. So the breathing center, nerve fibers, diaphragm, rib, muscles and abdominal muscles are coordinated. If any one of them fails to perform its particular function, the act of breathing will not take place.

Co-ordination is must for any organism to survive. In unicellular organisms, a coordination exists between various cellular processes, and they respond to changes in their environment to get light, temperature, chemicals, even to electric current. Humans are unable to detect and respond to many changes in our environment, e.g. human are unaware and not able to respond to presence of bacteria on the body surface, but some of the internal body cells can detect their presence and respond by producing chemicals, phagocytes to destroy them. the human body cells do respond to some of the ultraviolet and infra-red radiations which the human eyes cannot detect, as we know human eyes can see only visible spectrum of light i.e. white light.