THE HUMAN SYSTEMA quick look at homo sapiens as a

system.

Series of Subsystems

Humans are a complex set of sub-systems

Each system is interconnected

The continued function of each system is required for humans to stay alive

The first system is the circulatory system

Circulatory System

•Transports blood

•Oxygenates blood via the lungs

•Cleans blood through the kidneys

•Delivers oxygen to the brain

•Transports nutrients from digestion

•Delivers nutrients to muscles

Circulatory System Structure

The circulatory system consists of a closed loop

Contains ~5 – 6 litres of blood

Works closely with the digestive system

If all vessels were laid end to end it would be over 100 000 km long!

(that is two and a half times around the earth)

Muscular System

Moves the body –

Pumps the circulatory system –

Protects vital organs –

Allows humans to capture food –

Allows humans to flee from danger –

Allows humans to relocate –

Muscular System Structure

Three types: skeletal muscles, cardiac or heart muscles, and smooth (non-striated) muscles

Skeletal muscles, like your bicep or quadricep, help us move

Heart muscles pump blood through or circulatory system

Smooth muscles move automatically, like your iris dilation muscles or your bowels

Nervous System

•Regulates all bodily functions

•Controls muscular/circulatory systems

•Initiates fight or flight response

•Creates thought

•Receives and interprets stimuli

•Communicates via electricity

Nervous System Structure

The nervous system consist of millions of tiny wire-like objects called neurons

Imagine them as wires that connect things like your brain to your fingers

Your brain sends and receives signals to and from other parts of your body

Regulates things like temperature, hunger etc.

Skeletal SystemSupports all other systems –

Protects organs and vital systems –

Houses spinal cord –

Facilities eating (Jaw/Teeth) –

Attaches to muscular system –

Allows for locomotion –

Skeletal System Structure

Think of your skeleton as the frame of a house or a building

All the girders, beams and wood frames are like your skeleton

Helps support our bodies and protect our organs (like our heart)

Imagine someone without a skeleton (YUCK!)

Digestive System

•Converts food to energy

•Introduces nutrients into blood

•Filters toxins out of food

•Provides energy to other systems

Digestive System Structure

The digestive system is like a processing plant

1 Food goes in the mouth and is chewed up by our teeth

2 We swallow the food where it goes into our stomach

3 Our stomach breaks it down further4 Our intestine processes the food for

nutrients5 We expel the waste

Interconnected

Each of those systems is interconnect

Without one, the others would not function

Without any of them, we would die

Very complex systems with more subsystems

Too many to list

References

http://www.wikipedia.org

http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Main_Page