Primal Pictures Ltd.

2014

BODY SYSTEMS

There are 11 systems of the human body: the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular,
lymphatic, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive.
Each system has a specific role in helping the human body survive and reproduce. However, in order to work effectively,
all systems must work together. For example, reproduction can only occur under the right conditions, whereby the
cardiovascular, urinary, and respiratory systems work in unison to supply energy to the reproductive organs. This means
that all of these systems are not only inter-related, but are also interdependent.
Integumentary system
The integumentary system consists of skin and the associated skin components, i.e. hair, sweat
glands, sebaceous glands, and nails.
Function Protects the body from the external environment, excretes metabolic waste, helps to make
vitamin D, and detects pain, touch, dehydration, and changes in temperature.
Skeletal system
The skeletal system consists of the bones and the cartilage associated with joints.
Function Protects the body, provides support and a framework for muscles to act upon, contains bone
marrow for blood cells to develop in, and stores minerals such as calcium.
Muscular system
The muscular system consists primarily of skeletal muscle, but there are also two other types of
muscle: cardiac muscle found in the heart and smooth muscle found within the viscera, including the
alimentary canal and the walls of blood vessels.
Function Enables the body to move by the action of opposing muscular contraction and relaxation. It
also maintains posture and plays a role in thermoregulation.
Nervous system
The nervous system includes the brain, spinal cord, nerves and special sense organs, e.g. eyes, ears,
and taste buds. This system is divided into the central nervous system, containing the brain and spinal
cord, and the peripheral nervous system, containing everything else.
Function The functionality of the nervous system can be split into three main stages:
1. Detecting changes (sensory function) in the internal and external environment, encoding
them into electrical impulses, and transmitting them along the nerves.
2. Processing electrical impulses (integrative function) and making decisions, either
consciously or unconsciously.
3. Activating effectors (motor function) to induce an appropriate response to initial stimulus.
This can be muscular movement or glandular secretions.
Endocrine system
The endocrine system consists of endocrine organs and endocrine tissue embedded within organs.
Endocrine organs include the pituitary, thyroid, pineal, parathyroid, and adrenal glands. Endocrine tissue
is also found within the hypothalamus, pancreas, thymus, gonads, heart, stomach, and small intestine.

Function Hormones alter the metabolism of target cells. The hormone can be very specific, affecting
only one cell type, or very general, affecting many cell types.

Cardiovascular system
The cardiovascular system consists of the blood, heart, and blood vessels.
Function Pumps blood around the body through the blood vessels to deliver oxygen and nutrients to
cells and remove metabolic waste. Regulates the water content of body fluids, the acid-base
balance, and the temperature of the body.
Lymphatic system
The lymphatic system consists of lymphatic fluid (lymph), lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, the spleen,
lymph nodules, and thymus.
Function Responsible for transporting various substances; it takes lipids from the gastrointestinal tract
to the blood, and transports protein and fluids back to the bloodstream. It is also responsible
for the development of lymphocytes, the cells responsible for fighting disease.
Respiratory system
The respiratory system consists of air passageways: the pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles,
and the lungs.
Function Responsible for oxygen/carbon dioxide gas exchange with the blood and also involved in the
regulation of acid-base balance and sound production.
Digestive system
The digestive system consists of the digestive tract: the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, and
small and large intestine, as well as organs that assist digestion: the salivary glands, liver, gallbladder,
and pancreas.
Function Responsible for the breakdown of ingested food, both physically and chemically, so that
nutrients can be absorbed. It is also involved in the absorption of water and removal of
undigested food.
Urinary system
The urinary system consists of the kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra.
Function Filters blood in order to extract metabolic waste and maintain the acid-base and mineral
balance. It is also helps to regulate the production of red blood cells.
Reproductive system
The female reproductive system contains the gonads (ovaries), uterine tubes, uterus, vagina, clitoris,
labia, and mammary glands. The male reproductive system contains the gonads (testes), epididymes,
ductus deferens, penis, and scrotum.
Function Female gonads produce oocytes (the cells from which an egg develops) and also release
hormones that regulate reproduction and development.
Male gonads produce sperm and release hormones that regulate reproduction and
development.
Fertilization is the combination of a sperm and an oocyte, resulting in the formation of a new
life.