Anatomy and Physiology Body Systems

OT Dude Academy’s Free NBCOT® Exam Prep Course Medical Terminology, Anatomy, and Physiology Anatomy and Physiology Body Systems

Source 1  licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Levels of Structural Organization

  1. Atoms – the smallest unit of elements.
  2. Molecules – to or more atoms combined.
  3. Organelles – chemical building blocks of body structures.
  4. Cells- the smallest independently functioning unit of a living organism.
  5. Tissues – a group of many similar cells that work together to perform a specific function.
  6. Organs – an automatically distinct structure of the body composed of two or more tissue types. Each organ performs one or more specific physiological functions.
  7. Organ systems – a group of organs that work together to perform major functions or meet the physiological needs of the body.
  8. Organisms – a living thing.2 
  9. Biosphere – all parts of the earth and its atmosphere in which living organisms exist.3 

Systems

Integumentary

  • Encloses internal body structures
  • Site of sensory receptors
  • Includes: hair, skin, nails

Skeletal System

  • Supports the body
  • Enables movement (with the muscular system)
  • Includes: cartilage, bones, joints

Muscular System

  • Enables movement (with the skeletal system)
  • Helps maintain body temperature
  • Includes: skeletal muscles, tendons

Nervous System

  • Detects and processes sensory information
  • Activates bodily responses
  • Includes: brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves

Endocrine System

  • Secretes hormones
  • Regulates bodily processes
  • Includes: pituitary gland, thyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal glands, testes, ovaries

Cardiovascular System

  • Delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissues
  • Equalizes temperature in the body
  • Includes: heart, blood vessels

Lymphatic System

  • Returns fluid to blood
  • Defends against pathogens
  • Includes: thymus, lymph nodes, spleen, lymphatic vessels

Respiratory System

  • Removes carbon dioxide from the body
  • Delivers oxygen to the blood
  • Includes: nasal passage, trachea, lungs

Digestive System

  • Processes food for use by the body
  • Removes wastes from undigested food
  • Includes: stomach, liver, gall bladder, large intestine, small intestine

Urinary System

  • Controls water balance in the body
  • Removes wastes from the blood and excretes them
  • Includes: kidneys, urinary bladder

Male Reproductive System

  • Produces sex hormones and gametes
  • Delivers gametes to the female
  • Includes: epididymis, testes

Female Reproductive System

  • Produces sex hormones and gametes
  • Supports embryo, and fetus until birth
  • Produces milk for the infant
  • Includes: mammary glands, ovaries, uterus

 

 

  1. Betts, J.G., Young, K.A., Wise, J.A., Johson, E., Poe, B., Kruse, D. H., Korol, O., Johnson, J.E., Womble, M. & DeSaix, P. (2013). Anatomy and Physiology. OpenStax. http://cnx.org/content/col11496/latest/[↩]
  2. https://www.cancer.gov/publications/dictionaries/cancer-terms/def/organism[↩]
  3. https://dictionary.apa.org/biosphere[↩]
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