Overview of Organ Systems of the Body

Vocabulary flashcards covering the major organ systems, their constituent organs, and their primary functions based on Table 2.1.

Integumentary System

An organ system consisting of the skin, hair, nails, cutaneous sense organs, and glands. It protects deeper organs from injury and drying out, excretes salts and urea, aids in temperature regulation, and produces vitamin D.

Skeletal System

An organ system consisting of bones, cartilages, tendons, ligaments, and joints. It supports the body, protects internal organs, provides levers for muscle action, houses blood cell formation in cavities, and stores minerals.

Muscular System

An organ system consisting of muscles attached to the skeleton. Its primary function is to contract or shorten to allow locomotion, manipulation, and facial expression, while generating heat.

Nervous System

An organ system consisting of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and sensory receptors. It detects internal and external environmental changes and maintains homeostasis via rapid transmission of electrical signals.

Endocrine System

An organ system including the pituitary, thymus, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, and pineal glands, ovaries, testes, and pancreas. It maintains homeostasis, promotes growth and development, and produces hormones.

Cardiovascular System

An organ system composed of the heart and blood vessels. It serves as a transport system carrying oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, wastes, ions, and hormones to and from tissue cells.

Lymphatic System

An organ system composed of lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, spleen, and thymus. It returns leaked fluid to the blood, cleanses blood of pathogens, and houses lymphocytes for immune response.

Respiratory System

An organ system containing the nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs. It keeps blood continuously supplied with oxygen, removes carbon dioxide, and contributes to acid-base balance.

Digestive System

An organ system including the oral cavity, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small/large intestines, teeth, salivary glands, liver, and pancreas. It breaks down food for absorption into blood and excretes feces.

Urinary System

An organ system consisting of the kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra. It rids the body of nitrogen-containing wastes and maintains water, electrolyte, and acid-base balance of blood.

Male Reproductive System

An organ system consisting of testes, prostate gland, scrotum, penis, and duct system. Its function is to provide gametes called sperm for perpetuation of the species.

Female Reproductive System

An organ system consisting of ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus, mammary glands, and vagina. It provides eggs, houses the developing fetus until birth, and provides nutrition for the infant.

Hormones

Chemical messengers produced by the endocrine system that travel in the blood to exert their effect(s) on various target organs of the body.

Nitrogen-Containing Wastes

Substances including urea, uric acid, and ammonia that result from the breakdown of proteins and nucleic acids, which are removed from the body by the urinary system.