Tissue Engineering - Introduction to Biomedical Engineering - page 320

TABLE 6.7 Major Organ Systems of the Body

Circulatory Heart, blood vessels, blood (some

classifications also include lymphatic
vessels and lymph in this system)

Transport of blood throughout the body's
tissues

Respiratory Nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi,

lungs

Exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen;
regulation of hydrogen-ion concentration

Digestive Mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach,

intestines, salivary glands, pancreas, liver,
gallbladder

Digestion and absorption of organic
nutrients, salts, and water

Urinary Kidneys, ureters, bladder, urethra Regulation of plasma composition through

controlled excretion of salts, water, and
organic wastes

Musculoskeletal Cartilage, bone, ligaments, tendons, joints,

skeletal muscle

Support, protection, and movement of the
body; production of blood cells

Immune Spleen, thymus, and other lymphoid tissues Defense against foreign invaders; return of

extracellular fluid to blood; formation of
white blood cells

Nervous Brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves and

ganglia, special sense organs

Regulation and coordination of many
activities in the body; detection of changes
in the internal and external environments;
states of consciousness; learning; cognition

Endocrine All glands secreting hormones: Pancreas,

testes, ovaries, hypothalamus, kidneys,
pituitary, thyroid, parathyroid, adrenal,
intestinal, thymus, heart, pineal

Regulation and coordination of many
activities in the body

Reproductive Male: Testes, penis, and associated ducts

and glands

Production of sperm; transfer of sperm to
female

Female: Ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus,
vagina, mammary glands

Production of eggs; provision of a nutritive
environment for the developing embryo
and fetus; nutrition of the infant

Integumentary Skin Protection against injury and dehydration;

defense against foreign invaders; regulation
of temperature

can be combined with experimental studies to characterize and set organ function param-
eters. Even with our current advanced state of biological knowledge, detailed theoretical
analysis and calculations cannot substitute for focused and well-justified experimental
work.
Organs function at a basal rate but have the ability to respond to stress. For example, the
total circulation rate and organ distribution under strenuous exercise differs significantly
from that at rest. Similarly, under hematopoietic stress, such as infection or in patients with
sickle cell anemia, the basal blood cell production rate can significantly exceed the basal rate
given in Figure 6.3.