Human Body Systems Overview

The study of the structure and shape of body parts and their relationships to one another.

The study of the larger structures of the body visible with the naked eye.

The study of how the body parts function.

The study of cells and tissues using a microscope.

The study of cells, their structure, and their functions.

The study of tissues, groups of similar cells working together.

The study of the development of the human body from conception to birth, covering the stages of pregnancy.

The study of life, encompassing all living organisms and their processes.

A fundamental characteristic of living organisms, describing their ability to sense and respond to changes in their surroundings.

The maintenance of a stable internal environment within an organism, despite external changes.

A mechanism that counteracts changes, bringing the body back to its normal state.

A mechanism that amplifies a change, moving the body further away from its normal state.

The process of converting ingested food into usable energy for the body.

The ability of an organism to produce offspring.

The process of growth in an organism, usually involving an increase in size and complexity.

The process of change in an organism over time, often adapting to its environment.

Bones, cartilage, ligaments, and joints work together to provide support, enable movement, protect vital organs, store minerals like calcium, and produce blood cells within the bone marrow.

Muscles contract using electrical signals to create movement. There are three types: skeletal for voluntary movement, cardiac for heart function, and smooth for involuntary actions like digestion.

The nervous system controls actions quickly using electrical signals. The brain and spinal cord are central to its function.

The endocrine system regulates bodily functions slowly through hormones released by glands. These hormones travel through the bloodstream and can control growth, cycles, and many other processes.

The cardiovascular system, including the heart and blood vessels, transports essential substances throughout the body, such as oxygen, carbon dioxide, waste products, blood cells, heat, and immune components. It also acts as a water reservoir.

The lymphatic system works alongside the cardiovascular and immune systems. It has lymph vessels and nodes that return leaked fluid to the heart, filter fluids, and fight infections.

The respiratory system takes in oxygen and releases carbon dioxide. It includes the nasal passages, larynx (voice box), and lungs.

The digestive system is a long tube that breaks down food into absorbable nutrients. It plays a crucial role in water retention.

A body part is considered distal when it is further away from the point of attachment to the trunk compared to another body part.

A body part is considered superficial when it is closer to the outer surface of the body.

A body part is considered deep when it is further from the outer surface of the body.

The axial region of the body includes the head, neck, and trunk.

The appendicular region of the body includes the limbs (arms and legs).

Relating to the front of the body.

Relating to the back of the body.

Relating to the midline or middle of the body.

Relating to the side or away from the midline of the body.

Closer to the point of attachment or origin of a body part.

Farther from the point of attachment or origin of a body part.

A plane that divides the body into equal left and right halves.

A plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior sections.

The body's defense system that fights off invaders like bacteria, viruses, and parasites. It recognizes and targets specific threats, and remembers them to respond faster in the future.

The body's first line of defense against anything that doesn't belong. It's a general response that doesn't have memory or specificity.

The male reproductive organ that produces sperm.

The female reproductive organ that produces eggs.

A position or direction relative to another point on the body. These terms help describe locations within the body.

Toward the head or the upper part of the body.