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MODULE 9 LAB
WORKSHEET
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Module 09 Lab Worksheet: Special Senses and
Eyeball Dissection
Introduction
This week’s lab will focus on the special senses of vision, hearing, balance, smell and
taste.
Objectives
Objectives for this week’s lab include: 1) Identify the anatomical components of the
special senses, 2) Identify the anatomical structures of the eye through dissection,
and 3) Analyze the function of the special senses.
Overview
The special senses consist of vision, taste, smell, hearing and equilibrium. Compared
to the general senses (touch sensation, pain, temperature, pressure) that are
widespread throughout the body, the special senses are localized to the head region
of the body and contain highly complex nerve receptors.
Nearly 70% of our sensory receptors are found in the eye and just about half of our
cerebral cortex is dedicate to visual processing. Technically, there are three layers to
the eye: Fibrous layer (outer layer which includes the sclera), vascular layer (middle
layer that includes the choroid and iris) and the inner layer (which includes the
retina). The major components of the eye include the: Cornea, iris, pupil, vitreous
humor and the retina.
The retina contains two types of photoreceptor cells: Rods, which are responsible
for dimly light/black & white vision and cones, which are responsible for color
vision. In a very simplistic sense, incoming light is refracted (bent) by the cornea,
lens and vitreous humor to be focused on a specific spot of the retina. The
photoreceptor cells of the retina will convert light energy into an electrical impulse
that is transmitted to the occipital lobe via the optic nerve. The eye can have
imbalances with the refraction of the light on the retina, producing vision that is
labeled ‘near-sightedness’ or ‘far-sightedness’ and leading to the need for corrective
eyewear.
Both the sense of taste and smell are classified as a chemical sense because they
contain chemoreceptors, which are receptors that bind molecules to initiate their
sense perception. For the sense of taste, mastication of food releases molecules that
bind to sensory nerves found within our tastes buds. A human has roughly 10,000
taste buds that are housed within these tiny projections called papillae. Once the
taste cell (gustatory epithelial cell) binds a molecule, it initiates an action potential
that is sent to various locations of the cerebrum creating the sense of taste. The
sense of smell utilizes the same method. Odor molecules, known as odorants, enter
the nose and bind to the olfactory cells, which are connected to the olfactory bulb.
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MODULE 9 LAB
WORKSHEET
Downloaded by: Taiyiai |
Distribution of this document is illegal
, Stuvia.com - The Marketplace to Buy and Sell your Study Material
Module 09 Lab Worksheet: Special Senses and
Eyeball Dissection
Introduction
This week’s lab will focus on the special senses of vision, hearing, balance, smell and
taste.
Objectives
Objectives for this week’s lab include: 1) Identify the anatomical components of the
special senses, 2) Identify the anatomical structures of the eye through dissection,
and 3) Analyze the function of the special senses.
Overview
The special senses consist of vision, taste, smell, hearing and equilibrium. Compared
to the general senses (touch sensation, pain, temperature, pressure) that are
widespread throughout the body, the special senses are localized to the head region
of the body and contain highly complex nerve receptors.
Nearly 70% of our sensory receptors are found in the eye and just about half of our
cerebral cortex is dedicate to visual processing. Technically, there are three layers to
the eye: Fibrous layer (outer layer which includes the sclera), vascular layer (middle
layer that includes the choroid and iris) and the inner layer (which includes the
retina). The major components of the eye include the: Cornea, iris, pupil, vitreous
humor and the retina.
The retina contains two types of photoreceptor cells: Rods, which are responsible
for dimly light/black & white vision and cones, which are responsible for color
vision. In a very simplistic sense, incoming light is refracted (bent) by the cornea,
lens and vitreous humor to be focused on a specific spot of the retina. The
photoreceptor cells of the retina will convert light energy into an electrical impulse
that is transmitted to the occipital lobe via the optic nerve. The eye can have
imbalances with the refraction of the light on the retina, producing vision that is
labeled ‘near-sightedness’ or ‘far-sightedness’ and leading to the need for corrective
eyewear.
Both the sense of taste and smell are classified as a chemical sense because they
contain chemoreceptors, which are receptors that bind molecules to initiate their
sense perception. For the sense of taste, mastication of food releases molecules that
bind to sensory nerves found within our tastes buds. A human has roughly 10,000
taste buds that are housed within these tiny projections called papillae. Once the
taste cell (gustatory epithelial cell) binds a molecule, it initiates an action potential
that is sent to various locations of the cerebrum creating the sense of taste. The
sense of smell utilizes the same method. Odor molecules, known as odorants, enter
the nose and bind to the olfactory cells, which are connected to the olfactory bulb.
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