Functions, Organs and Important Interactions March 30, 2017 Review of Body Systems Functions, Organs and Important Interactions

Muscular System Function: pulls on the bones to move the body (skeletal muscle), has parts that are controlled by conscious thought (voluntary movement, skeletal muscle) and other parts that are controlled automatically (involuntary movement; smooth muscle of organs and vascular walls; cardiac muscle of heart contractions). Produces movement by using opposing pairs of fiber bundles. Skeletal muscle will wither if not used and can be built up with exercise. Organs: Tendons and Muscles (three types: Skeletal, Smooth and Cardiac). Important Interactions: Skeletal system for attachment. The muscles need food from the Digestive system and oxygen from the respiratory system delivered by the circulatory system. They also depend on the circulatory and excretory systems to remove waste products.

Skeletal System Function: Movement and Structure and Protects Organs. It also contains resources to generate new blood cells and stores minerals. Organs: Bones, Joints, Ligaments. Bones are held together by ligaments, and ligaments allow joints to move. Cartilage is bone between joints. Important Interactions: Muscular system helps move bones. The Circulatory system transports blood to and from bones; the Digestive system provides minerals and vitamins to bones.

Birds have an adaptation to their skeletal system; they have hollow bones so they are lighter for flight.

Circulatory System Function: Transports nutrients, oxygen and waste to and from all cells of the body. Organs: Heart, Blood vessels (arteries, veins, venules, arterioles, and capillaries), and Blood (three types; white, red, and platelets). Important Interactions: Muscular system pumps the blood – the heart is made of cardiac muscle. The Respiratory and Digestive system to provide nutrients and oxygen needed for the cells and on the Excretory system to remove wastes from the bloodstream.

Circulatory and Excretory work together to remove waste products from blood. Circulatory and Respiratory work together to move gases in and out of the body. Red blood cells carry nutrients and oxygen to body cells.

Respiratory System Function: Gets oxygen to the blood and removes carbon dioxide from it. Warms and moistens air entering the body. Organs: Nasal cavity, lungs, trachea, pharynx, larynx, bronchi, bronchioles, alveoli, and diaphragm (flat muscle that causes inhaling and exhaling by causing a change in air pressure). Important Interactions: The Muscular system to pull air into the lungs – using the diaphragm muscle. Circulatory system for exchange of gases in the body and Digestive system to keep food out of the lungs – using the epiglottis.

Trachea lies in front of the esophagus. Gas Exchange occurs in the Alveoli cells. The original source of oxygen For the alveoli is from inhaled air. Nasal hairs act like an air conditioning Filter.

The gills of a fish help in their survival because the gills allow fish to use the oxygen dissolved in the water.

Digestive System Function: Breaks down food into a form usable by the cells of the body. Includes both mechanical (involuntary peristolsis) and chemical (enzymes) means to break down food. Four processes: Indigestion, Digestion, Absorption, and Elemination. Organs: Mouth, epiglottis, Esophagus, Stomach, Small intestine, Large intestine, rectum, and anus. Important Interactions: Depends on the Muscular system to move the food through the system – lined with smooth muscle. Respiratory and Circulatory system for oxygen and removal of waste.

Respiratory and Digestive Systems

Integumentary System Function: Protects the body from infection, harmful rays, and is the Largest Organ of the Body. Top layer is actually dead cells. Regulates temperature. Organs: Skin, Hair, Nails, oil and Sweat glands. Important Interactions: Excretory and Circulatory systems.

Excretory system Function: Removes liquid and solid waste from the body. Keeps the body from building up dangerous toxins. Organs: Kidneys, ureter, urinary bladder, and urethra. Important Interactions: Depends on the Circulatory system to move the wastes from the cells and deliver them to the kidneys. It also depends on the Respiratory system to remove carbon dioxide from the body. The Integumentary system to remove salts from the body by sweating.

Nervous System Function: Controls the actions of the body by collecting information through the sense organs and sending impulses to the body through the nerves. Has special cells that change messages from electrical to chemical impulses. Organs: Brain, Spinal Cord, Nerve cells and sense organs. Important Interactions: Depends on the Muscular system to respond to the impulses from the brain. Respiratory and Circulatory system for oxygen in the brain cells.

Endocrine System Function: Produces chemical signals for actions in the body. Secretes hormones that control the levels of other substances in the body. Maintains homeostasis of the body (Adrenals; Adrenaline (physical and emotional stress). Stimulates the production of sperm (testes) and release of eggs (ovaries) for reproduction. Secretes enzymes for digestion (Thyroid; Thyroxin (metabolism), Pancreas; Insulin (sugar)). Organs: Glands (ductless glands - glands without ducts), and hormones. Important Interactions: Circulatory and Nervous systems.

The human body has specialized organs called glands (ductless glands) which collect and process substances from blood. The concentrated substances are then secreted as hormones to regulate body processes.

Reproductive System Function: Responsible for the creation of new life which allows the species to continue. Organs: Ovaries, Egg, Testes, Sperm Important Interactions: Endocrine (hormones), Circulatory, and Respiratory systems.