In this article we will discuss about:- 1. Movements of Body Parts in Living Organism 2. Types of Movement in Living Organism.
Movements of Body Parts in Living Organism:
All the animals are able to move their body parts.
(a) Movements of External Body Parts:
These serve many purposes:
(i) Movements of limbs, appendages, head and trunk help to maintain equilibrium of the body,
(ii) In many animals limbs and appendages also carry out locomotion,
(iii) Movements of limbs, tongue, jaws, snout, appendages and tentacles enable different animals to capture their food, and
(iv) Movements of eye balls help to see the object, however, movements of the pinna of the ear enable the animal to collect sound vibrations.
(b) Movements of Internal Organs:
Movements of internal organs are also essential for the animals:
(i) Food and urine are moved forward by the movements of the muscles (peristalsis) present in the digestive and urinary tracts respectively,
(ii) Movements of cardiac muscles enables the heart to receive and distribute the blood,
(iii) Inspiration and expiration involves the movements of the diaphragm, ribs, etc.
(iv) Movements of uterine wall enable the mother to give birth to a child.
Types of Movement in Living Organism:
There are three main types of movements shown by the cells of the human body, viz., amoeboid, ciliary and muscular. But flagellar movement is also found.
1. Amoeboid (= Pseudopodial) Movement:
This type of movement is found in leucocytes (phagocytes and macrophages of the human lymphatic system).
2. Ciliary Movement:
Cilia of the upper respiratory tract of humans keep the invading microbes and dust particles out. Whereas, the cilia of the Fallopian tubes (oviducts) and vasa efferentia of human females and males, transport ova and spermatozoa, respectively.
3. Muscular Movement:
This basic mechanism is used in the majority of vertebrates, including humans. The universal property of this mechanism is to exert a force by alternate contraction and relaxation. Movement of our limbs, jaws, tongue, etc. require muscular movement.
4. Flagellar Movement:
Human sperms (typical example of flagellated cells) exhibit the flagellar movement. The flagellum is the propulsion equipment for the movement of sperm towards the ovum. This propulsion is brought about by the whip like movement of the tail and the middle piece of the sperm.