Human Organ Systems

Organ Systems Nervous Circulatory Lymphatic Respiratory Digestive Urinary Reproductive Endocrine

Nervous System Functions: Senses changes in the environment and coordinates appropriate responses. Controls body functions.

Nervous System Components: Central Nervous System (CNS) Brain Spinal cord Peripheral Nervous System (PNS) Nerves connect body to CNS.

Nervous System Central Nervous System Brain: Receives and processes information from sensory receptors. Causes a specific response in the body. Allows us to learn, hold onto memories, reason, maintain balance, etc.

Nervous System Central Nervous System Spinal Cord: Responsible for reflexes. Very fast; occurs without conscious thought.

Nervous System Peripheral Nervous System Controls skeletal muscles. Carries information from the sensory organs to brain. Controls involuntary actions such as breathing, heart rate and digestion.

Circulatory System Functions: Transports nutrients and oxygen to the body cells. Remove wastes and carbon dioxide from the cells.

Circulatory System Components: Heart Blood Vessels Blood

Circulatory System Heart: Cardiac muscle tissue causes the heart to contract as one unit. Epithelial tissue lines the inside and outside of the heart to protect it from friction.

Circulatory System Blood Vessels: Arteries: Veins : Capillaries: Carry blood away from heart. Veins : Carry blood toward heart. Capillaries: Surround each body cell. Allows oxygen and nutrients to enter cells.

Circulatory System

Circulatory System Blood: Red blood cells: White blood cells: Transports oxygen to cells. White blood cells: Recognize and destroy foreign microbes. Platelets: Cell fragments involved with blood clotting. Plasma: Protein-rich liquid that carries blood cells.

Lymphatic System Functions: To defend against disease. Works with the immune system. http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/002247.htm

Lymphatic System Components: Lymph vessels Lymph fluid Lymph nodes

Lymphatic System Lymphatic Vessels Runs alongside blood vessels. Transports lymph (fluid with white blood cells).

Lymphatic System Lymph Nodes Congregation of white blood cells. Filters lymph and destroys microbes.

Respiratory System Functions: Provides oxygen needed by the body. Removes carbon dioxide from the body.

Respiratory System Components: Mouth and nose Trachea Lungs Diaphragm

Respiratory System Trachea: Air from mouth and nose pass through trachea. Cartilaginous rings keep it open. Lined with ciliated epithelium. Cilia ‘beat’ to move mucus and foreign debris away from lungs.

Respiratory System Lungs: Non-muscular organ filled with alveoli. Alveoli are small air sacs surrounded by capillaries.

Respiratory System Diaphragm: Dome-shaped muscle. Attached to bottom lungs.

Digestive System Function: To take food into the body. To breakdown food into smaller pieces. To absorb nutrients into body. To excrete solid waste.

Digestive System Components: Mouth Esophagus Stomach Small intestines Large intestines

Digestive System Mouth Breaks down food. Chewing. Digestive enzymes. Saliva produced by epithelial tissue.

Digestive System Esophagus Smooth muscle contracts and relaxes to push food to stomach.

Digestive System Stomach Stores food. Smooth muscle contracts to mix food with digestive juices.

Digestive System Small Intestines Digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Digestive System Large Intestines Water reabsorbed into body. Solid matter excreted as feces from anus.

Urinary System Functions: To filter wastes from the blood. Forms urine.

Urinary System Components: Kidneys Bladder

Urinary System Kidneys Bladder Filters wastes from blood. Produces urine. Bladder Stores urine before it exits the body.

Reproductive System Functions: To produce sperm in males. To produce eggs in females.

Reproductive System Components: Female: Ovaries Uterus Vagina

Reproductive System Components: Male: Testes Penis

Endocrine System Functions: Produces hormones that regulate bodily functions.

Endocrine System Components: Pancreas Adrenal glands Ovaries Testes

Endocrine System Pancreas Produces insulin  lowers our blood sugar Adrenal Glands Produces adrenaline  short-term stress (“fight or flight” response)

Endocrine System Ovaries Produce estrogen  secondary sex characteristics in females. Testes Produce testosterone  secondary sex characteristics in males.

Interactions of Systems Oxygen moves from air in respiratory system to blood in circulatory system. Carbon dioxide moves from blood to air (in lungs).

Interactions of Systems Nutrients move from food in digestive system to blood in circulatory system. Oxygen and nutrients move from circulatory system into body cells. Carbon dioxide and wastes move from body cells into circulatory system.

Interactions of Systems Wastes pass from circulatory system into urinary system.

Interactions of Systems Endocrine system (prolonged response) and nervous system (rapid response) work together to regulate all bodily functions and organ systems.

Interactions of Systems Lymphatic system and circulatory system work together to protect the body from foreign invaders (e.g., bacteria).

Interactions of Systems Nerves stimulate the pacemaker (SA node) of the heart to control its rhythmic beating. The brain is supplied with constant blood flow so it always has oxygen in order to perform all its vital functions.