Organ systems and organs
The basic structure and functional organization of the human body can be thought of as a pyramid or hierarchical arrangement in which the lowest level of organization (the foundation) consists of cells and chemicals. Organs and organ systems represent the highest levels of organization (Figure 1).
Simplified definitions of the various levels of organization within the body can be found in Table 1.
Figure 2 illustrates the hierarchical organization of these body components.
The human body consists of eleven organ systems, each which contains several specific organs. An organ is a unique anatomic structure consisting of groups of tissues that work in concert to perform specific functions. Listed below in Table 2 are the eleven organ systems and their specific organs.
|
Disclaimer: This article is taken wholly from, or contains information that was originally published by, the National Library of Medicine. Topic editors and authors for the Encyclopedia of Earth may have edited its content or added new information. The use of information from the National Library of Medicine should not be construed as support for or endorsement by that organization for any new information added by EoE personnel, or for any editing of the original content. |