Introduction to the systemic
physiology & organ system
The main objective is:
Understand the level of body organization
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What is Physiology - definition?
Physiology is the Science of the Normal Functions
and Phenomena of Living Things”
Oxford English Dictionary
• Physiology: is the science of studying the functional
activities and its mechanisms in biological body.
Example: why can heart beats?
• Physiology derived from two Greek words- Physis=
nature, logos= study.
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Function and Process:
1-Teleological:
• what is the purpose or function?
• Why does something exist?
• Why does it need to be done ?
• Mechanistic:
• What are processes involved?
• How does something work?
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Human and Animal
Physiology
Physiology
Reproductive Skeletal Renal Trunk of the tree
Respiratory Neuronal Digestive Integumentory
of biomedical and
life sciences
Cardiovascular Immune Endocrine
Study of eleven
QuickTime™ and a
Photo - JPEG decompressor
Muscular
are needed to see this picture.
different body
systems
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Functional Organization of the
Human Body
The fact is that we remain alive is the result
of complex control systems.
For example: hunger makes us seek food,
sensation of the cold make us look for
warmth.
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Levels of organization
• Cells work together to form tissue
• Tissues work together to form organs
• Organs work together to form organ
system ( these organ system are woven
together , such that one can not work
without the other)
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Smooth muscle cell
Molecules
2 Cellular level
Cells are made up of molecules Atoms
1 Chemical level
Atoms combine to form
molecules
Smooth
muscle
tissue
Heart
3 Tissue level
Tissues consist of Cardiovascular
similar types of cells system Blood
vessels
Epithelial
tissue
Smooth Blood
muscle vessel
tissue (organ)
6 Organismal level
Connective The human organism is
tissue
made up of many organ
systems
4 Organ level
Organs are made up of different 5 Organ system level
types of tissues Organ systems consist of different organs that
work together closely
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Molecules
• Carbohydrates
• Lipids
• Proteins
• Nucleic acids
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• Cells: the basic structural and
functional unit ( prokaryotic &
eukaryotic) (~ 100 trillion)
• Tissues: (e.g. muscles, epithelial,
nervous )
• Organs: (e.g. kidneys, heart, liver,
pancreas)
• Organ systems: (e.g. cardiovascular,
respiratory, urinary)
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Cell structure
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The Primary Tissues
• FOUR MAJOR TYPES OF TISSUES IN THE
HUMAN BODY:
• EPITHELIAL: Covers body surfaces and lines
body cavities
• CONNECTIVE: Binds and supports body parts
• MUSCULAR: Causes body parts to move
• NERVOUS: Responds to stimuli and transmits
impulses from one body part to another
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Epithelial Tissues
• Covers entire body surface
and most of the body's
inner cavities.
• Outer epidermis (skin)
protects from injury and
drying out
• Inner epidermal tissue, on
internal surfaces protects,
secretes mucus (e.g. along
digestive tract)
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Connective Tissues
• Connects
organs
• Functions:
- bind structures
together
- fill up spaces
- provide support
and protection
- store fat
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Muscle Tissues: Contract for
Movement
Skeletal Muscle Smooth Muscle
Cardiac Muscle
Striated, Voluntary non-striated, Involuntary
Striated, Involuntary
Skeletal Smooth
Cardiac
Muscle Muscle
Muscle
Striated Non-
Striated
Voluntary striated
Involuntary
Involuntary
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Muscle Tissues
SKELETAL MUSCLE: SMOOTH MUSCLE: CARDIAC MUSCLE:
Striated (alternating Non-striated, Striated, involuntary,
light and dark bands) a involuntary control,
forms heart muscle.
attached to bones, found in walls of
used for movement internal organs, Found only in the
voluntary control. intestine, stomach, heart.
Can contract quickly blood vessels. Can contract quickly,
and strongly but will Contracts more slowly,
and beats your whole
fatigue in time. but can contract over
longer period of time. life through.
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Nervous Tissues: Conduct
Electrochemical Messages
• Specialized tissue that forms nerves, brain,
spinal cord
• Conduct electrical & chemical messages along
special cells called neurons. Composed of cell
body, dendrites (conduct messages to cell body),
axon (send messages away from cell body).
Cell Body
Axon
Synaptic E ndings
D endrite
Structure of a N euron (in this case, a m otor neuron)
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What are Glial Cells?
• Glial cells are cells that surround nerve cells.
They help to support, protect, and nourish
nerve cells. They provide nutrients to the
neurons and help keep the tissue free of debris.
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What are Glands?
• Gland: a single cell, or a collection of cells that
secrete chemicals.
• i. Exocrine glands: secrete into ducts. e.g. the gall
bladder is an exocrine gland because it secretes bile
in a duct. Sweat glands are exocrine glands.
• ii. Endocrine glands: secrete chemicals (especially
hormones) into bloodstream (e.g. pituitary gland,
pancreas secretes insulin into the blood).
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ORGANS: Tissues working
together
Organs (e.g. the heart) are made
up of one or more types of
tissues (usually more)
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ORGANS: Tissues working
together
SKIN is also an example of an organ.
It is the largest organ, and has
several tissue layers.
Skin covers body surfaces, gives
protection from water loss and
invasion by microorganisms, contains
sense organs, helps to regulate
body temperature
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Human Organ Systems
• Each located in specific location, with specific
functions. (e.g. digestive system).
• Many internal organ systems enclosed within
coelom, a cavity within the body.
• Organ systems contribute to maintaining a stable
internal environment (homeostasis). e.g. Temp,
pH, glucose, blood pressure.
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Organs
• The five vital organs in the human body
are the brain, heart, lungs, kidneys, and
liver.
• Other organs include the gallbladder,
pancreas, and stomach. Organ systems,
such as the nervous system, support
these organs
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What is Physiology – definition?
• The discipline of Physiology investigates how
the systems operate at different levels:
– System
– Organ
– Tissue
– Cell
– Molecule
• How does these systems integrate to form a
fully functional human body?
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