Organ Systems of the Body

Reference: Human Physiology: The Mechanisms of Body Function Fourth Edition, McGraw-Hill, New York, 1985; page, 5

By Arthur J. Vander, MD, James H. Sherman, Ph.D, Dorothy S. Luciano, Ph.D.

SYSTEMS	MAJOR SYSTEMS of the BODY	PRIMARY FUNCTIONS
Circulatory	Heart, blood vessels, blood	Rapid flow of blood throughout the body’s tissues
Digestive	Mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestines, salivary glands, pancreas, liver, gallbladder	Digestion and absorption of organic nutrients, salts, and water
Endocrine	All glands secreting hormones: Pancreas, testes, ovaries, hypothalamus, kidneys, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal, intestinal, thymus, and pineal	Regulation and coordination of many activities in the body
Immune	White blood cells, lymph vessels and nodes, spleen, thymus, and other lymphatic tissues	Defense against foreign invaders; return of extracellular fluid to blood; formation of white blood cells
Integumentary	Skin	Protection against injury and dehydration; defense against foreign invaders; regulation of temperature
Musculo-skeletal	Cartilage, bone, ligaments, tendons, joints, skeletal muscle	Support, protection, and movement of the body
Reproductive	Male: Testes, penis, and associated ducts and glands Female: Ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus, vagina, mammary glands	Production of sperm; transfer of sperm to female Production of eggs; provision of a nutritive environment for the developing embryo and fetus
Respiratory	Nose, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestines, salivary glands, pancreas, liver, gallbladder	Exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen; regulation of hydrogen-ion concentration
Urinary	Kidneys, urethras, bladder, urethra	Regulation of plasma composition through controlled excretion of organic wastes, salts, and water