It’s important to know the main human body systems and their connections, not just for studying anatomy, but to understand how your body works so you can take better care of your health. The human body is made up of ten different body systems that are intricately connected to one another. All of these systems must do its job in cooperation with the others in order for our bodies to be healthy and well. If any of the ten systems is damaged, this will impact the other systems and the health of the person overall. Since each system has its own unique functions, the other body systems can’t compensate for the lack of functioning of one system due to damage or illness.
The ten main systems of the human body
The skeletal system includes the bones of the human body, their associated cartilage and joints. The function of this system is to give support to the body, protect internal organs and give the organs a structure to attach to. This system is important for movement, along with the muscular system which includes skeletal muscles (muscles that move body parts), smooth muscles (autonomic muscles, like stomach and intestinal muscles) and cardiac muscles (muscles of the heart). The function of the muscular system is to power movement of various body parts.
The cardiovascular system includes the heart, blood vessels and arteries that distribute nutrients, hormones and oxygen to the entire human body. It works in conjunction with the lymphatic system, which gives us immunity from illness, poison and foreign proteins (antigens), along with the respiratory system, which gathers oxygen from the air we breathe and removes waste gases like carbon dioxide from the body.
The function of the digestive system is to break down food and absorb the nutrients the body needs and removing waste, while the function of the urinary system is to remove toxins from the body and maintain the correct level of hydration.
The nervous system is the most important of the main human body systems because it is responsible for coordinating all of the other systems. It sends and receives electrical and chemical signals throughout the whole body and works closely with the endocrine system. The endocrine system’s function is to produce hormones which serve as messengers from the brain to other parts of the body. Some organs in the endocrine system are also part of the reproductive system, which allows humans to reproduce sexually. This system is different in males and females.
