CSEP421 - Human Body (1.2)

Levels of Structural Organisation

• Chemical Level:
  • Atoms (e.g., carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen, calcium).
  • Molecules (e.g., water, protein).
• Cellular Level:
  • Molecules form cells.
  • Cells: basic structural and functional units (e.g., muscle cells, nerve cells).
• Tissue Level:
  • Groups of similar cells performing specific functions.
  • Four basic tissue types: Epithelial, Connective, Muscular, Nervous.
• Organ Level:
  • Tissues joined to form organs.
  • Organs have recognizable structures and specific functions (e.g., heart, lungs, kidneys).
• System Level:
  • Related organs sharing a common function (e.g., Nervous system, Muscular system).
• Organismal Level:
  • A living human body; all parts function together.

Terminology

• Many terms are compound words with prefixes and suffixes.
• Prefix: beginning of a word (e.g., gastro-).
• Suffix: end of a word (e.g., -itis, -ology).
• Examples:
  • gastro- (stomach): gastritis
  • nephro- (kidney): nephritis, nephrology

Study Strategies for Learning

• Make cue cards (term/definition).
• Create a mix-and-match game.
• Print out page 15, put it in a clear file, and use a felt pen to fill in the definitions.