Human Body Cavities Overview

Body Cavities

• The human body contains several cavities, each with specific contents.

Major Body Cavities

• Cranial Cavity:
  • Formed by cranial bones
  • Contains the brain
• Thoracic Cavity:
  • Enclosed by the rib cage and diaphragm
  • Contains the lungs, heart, esophagus, and lymph vessels/nodes, as well as important nerves.
• Abdominal Cavity:
  • Located below the diaphragm
  • Contains the stomach, small and most of the large intestines, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, and part of the uterus.
  • Also contains blood vessels, nerves, and lymph nodes.
• Pelvic Cavity:
  • Located below the abdominal cavity
  • Contains the sigmoid colon, rectum, anus, urinary bladder, and male and female reproductive organs.
  • Includes parts of the intestines, urinary bladder, and reproductive organs.

Cranial Cavity Contents

• The cranial bones form a protective covering for the brain.
• The cranial cavity houses the brain's different lobes and structures. The brain has areas known as anterior, middle, and posterior fossae.

Thoracic Cavity Structures

• The rib cage and diaphragm enclose the thoracic cavity.
• The structures within the thoracic cavity include lungs, heart, trachea, esophagus, large blood vessels, and nerves.

Abdominal Cavity Structures

• The abdominal cavity is located below the diaphragm.
• Within the abdominal cavity, there are many important internal organs, including stomach, most of the small intestines, part of large intestine, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, spleen, kidneys, and upper part of uterus.
• The abdominal cavity also contains blood vessels, nerves, and lymph nodes.

Pelvic Cavity Structures

• The pelvic cavity is located below the abdominal cavity.
• There are structures such as the sigmoid colon, rectum, anus, urinary bladder, and both male and female reproductive organs.

Other Relevant Information

• The images illustrate the location and organization of these body cavities and organs.
• The diagrams show the arrangement and connections between various organs and body systems
• These components are part of the larger framework of human body systems.

Systems Responsible for Support and Movement

• Skeletal system:

  • Composed of bones, joints, and cartilages
  • Provides support and protection for the body
  • Provides attachment sites for muscles
  • Aids body movements, housing blood cells and storing minerals and lipids

• Muscular system:

  • Composed of skeletal muscles
  • Responsible for producing body movements (such as walking), stabilizing body position (posture), and generating heat

Integumentary System

• Skin:
  • Protects the body, regulates body temperature, eliminates waste, produces vitamin D, and detects sensations.

Nervous System

• Components: Brain, spinal cord, nerves, special sense organs (eyes, ears, nose, tongue, skin)
• Function: Generates nerve impulses to regulate body activities.

Endocrine System

• Components: Hormone-producing glands (pineal, hypothalamus, pituitary, thymus, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, pancreas, ovaries, testes) and hormone-producing cells in various organs.
• Function: Regulates body activities by releasing hormones.

Cardiovascular System

• Components: Blood, heart, and blood vessels.
• Function: Pumps blood, carries oxygen and nutrients to cells. Regulates acid-base balance, temperature, and water content, and defends against disease/repairs damaged vessels.

Lymphatic System

• Components: Lymphatic fluid (lymph), vessels, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, tonsils.
• Function: Balances bodily fluids, returns proteins and fluids to blood, carries lipids from the gastrointestinal tract to the blood, fights against microorganisms.

Respiratory System

• Components: Lungs, pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe), bronchial tubes.
• Function: Transfers oxygen into blood and releases carbon dioxide from blood. Aids in regulating acid-base balance in the body.

Digestive System

• Components: Mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small intestines, large intestines, anus, accessory organs (salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, pancreas).
• Function: Achieves physical and chemical breakdown of food, absorbing nutrients; removes solid wastes.

Urinary System

• Components: Kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra.
• Function: Produces, stores, and eliminates urine. Regulates acid-base balance of body fluids, mineral balance, and red blood cell production.

Reproductive System

• Components: Gonads (testes in males, ovaries in females); associated organs (uterine tubes, uterus, vagina in females, epididymis, ductus deferens, penis in males)
• Function: Produces gametes (sperm or oocytes) for the creation of new organisms and regulates reproductive hormones and other body processes.