Musculoskeletal and Nervous Systems Overview

Musculoskeletal System

• Protects delicate organs, supports the body, and allows movement.
• Skeleton functions:
  • Provides structure and support for the body.
  • Stores calcium and minerals.
  • Anchors and protects organs.
• Knee bones:
  • Femur: Bears body weight, enabling movement and standing.
  • Ligaments: Maintain structure, stability
  • Cartilage: Provides protective cushion to the joint & bones.
  • Tibia: Receives and distributes weight from the knee to the ankle.
• Skeletal muscle:
  • Tendons: Connect muscles to bones.
  • Muscles: Function in pumping blood and supporting heavy movements.
  • Muscle fibers: Coordinate muscle contraction and produce movement force.
  • Bundles of muscle fibers: Control coordinated muscle contraction and movement.

Nervous System

• Senses the environment, coordinates appropriate responses, and carries messages throughout the body
• Parts and Functions:
  • Central Nervous System: Brain and spinal cord; controls body functions, integrates/processes incoming information.
  • Peripheral Nervous System: Connects the brain and spinal cord to the body; transmits sensory information and motor commands.
• Neurons: Carry information towards/away from the central nervous system.
  • Axon: Carries information away from the cell body.
  • Dendrite: Receives electrical signals and brings them to the cell body.
• Connective tissue: Supports and protects all tissues and the body as a whole.
  • Bundles of nerve cells : Collection of axons, transmits signals between the central nervous system and other parts of the body.
• Spinal cord: Contains nerves traveling to and from the body and brain.
• Brain: Organ inside the skull that controls all body functions.
• Sensory receptors: Transmit information from the five senses to the nervous system.