Human anatomy for public knowledge

What is the respiratory system Your respiratory system brings oxygen into your body and helps to remove carbon dioxide. Your lungs are part of your respiratory system. They sit in your chest, protected by your ribcage. Problems with your respiratory system can reduce the oxygen that reaches your lungs, which can make you unwell. Parts of the respiratory system Your respiratory system is made up of your: nose pharynx (throat) larynx (voice box) trachea (windpipe) bronchi (airways branching from the trachea, and leading to smaller bronchioles) lungs How your respiratory system works You breathe in by contracting your diaphragm, a

What is the nervous system? The nervous system is made up of the brain, spinal cord and nerves. It controls much of what you think and feel and what your body does. It allows you to do things like walk, speak, swallow, breathe and learn. It also controls how the body reacts in an emergency. The nervous system is made up of: the central nervous system, or CNS, which consists of the brain and spinal cord the peripheral nervous system, or PNS, which consists of nerves that connect the CNS to the rest of the body The brain is made up of

What is the nose and throat Your nose and throat are part of your respiratory system. Your nose is the organ responsible for your sense of smell. Your throat is the part of your body responsible for swallowing. Your nose and throat also carry air to your lungs. Connections between your nose, throat and ears mean that a problem in one area can affect the others. How your nose works As you breathe air in, your nose: cleans the air of foreign particles such as dust and germs warms and moistens the air before it reaches your lungs This is helped by the

Key facts The neuromuscular system connects muscles and nerves, which control body movements and functions. Nerves called motor neurons send messages from the brain to muscles, making them contract and move. Neuromuscular disease includes nerve and muscle problems, causing weakness and pain. Neuromuscular diseases can cause tiredness, muscle weakness, cramps and pain, and in severe cases trouble breathing and swallowing. There is no current cure for many neuromuscular disorders — treatments are used to help improve quality of life. What is the neuromuscular system? The neuromuscular system includes all the muscles in the body and the nerves connecting them. Every

Key facts The male reproductive system includes parts of the male body that are involved in sexual activity, fertility, and reproduction. It includes both the external genital such as the penis and testes, as well as the internal parts such as the prostate gland and urethra. Common problems include infertility, prostate disease, impotence, loss of sex drive and testicular cancer. Having a healthy reproductive system requires knowing when to ask for help from your doctor. If you notice any symptoms or problems, it is important to see your doctor quickly — early treatment can avoid serious long-term problems. What is

Key facts Lymph nodes (or lymph glands) are part of your body’s immune system. The immune system helps to fight infections and filters waste products. Your lymph nodes may swell up (lymphadenopathy) during an infection. Common causes of swollen lymph nodes include viral and bacterial infections such as glandular fever and tonsillitis. Your lymph nodes play an important role in cancer diagnosis, treatment, and your chance of recovery. What are lymph nodes? Your lymph nodes (or lymph glands) are small lumps of tissue that contain white blood cells, which fight infection. They are part of your body’s immune system. They filter your

What are kidneys? The kidneys are organs that sit at the back of your abdomen (tummy). They are found below your ribs on either side of your spine. The kidneys are shaped like a bean and are about the size of your fist. Each kidney weighs about 150 grams. Most people are born with 2 kidneys. The right kidney is often a little lower than the left. What do kidneys do? Kidneys are very important to your overall health. Your kidneys have 3 main roles. 1. Filtering blood Your kidneys filter your blood, removing waste products that are then removed

What is the heart? The heart is a muscular organ that sits inside the rib cage, behind and just to the left of the breastbone. It pumps blood around the body to supply tissues with nutrition and oxygen. The heart pumps blood to the lungs, where it absorbs oxygen. This oxygen-rich blood then returns to the heart to be pumped to the rest of the body via arteries. The major artery coming from the heart is the aorta. The heart delivers blood to its own muscle via the coronary arteries. How does the heart work? The heart has 4 chambers.

Key facts The digestive system breaks down food and absorbs nutrients for energy and growth. It is a long tube starting from your mouth, going all the way to your anus. Common digestive health conditions are gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), diverticulitis, stomach ulcers, and haemorrhoids. What is the digestive system? The digestive system is made up of the digestive tract (the gut) and other organs like the liver, pancreas and gall bladder. It is where your body breaks down food and absorbs nutrients. The digestive system is a long, twisting tube that starts at the mouth and goes through the oesophagus, stomach,

What is the central nervous system? The central nervous system (CNS) is made up of the brain and spinal cord. It is one of 2 parts of the nervous system. The other part is the peripheral nervous system, which consists of nerves that connect the brain and spinal cord to the rest of the body. The central nervous system is the body’s processing centre. The brain controls most of the functions of the body, including awareness, movement, thinking, speech, and the 5 senses of seeing, hearing, feeling, tasting and smelling. The spinal cord is an extension of the brain. It carries

What are bones, muscles and joints? Bones, muscles and joints make up the musculoskeletal system, along with cartilage, tendons, ligaments and connective tissue. This system gives your body its structure and support and lets you move around. The parts of the musculoskeletal system grow and change throughout life. Injuries and various illnesses can damage bones, muscles and joints. Parts of the musculoskeletal system Skeleton — this is the framework of the body. The adult human skeleton is made up of 206 bones. There are 5 main shapes of bones: long (such as the upper arm), short (such as the hand),

Blood, the heart and the vessels through which blood is pumped around the body, together make up the cardiovascular system. They are vital for carrying nutrients, oxygen and waste around the body. Blood is made up of cells and plasma. An average adult has about 5 litres of blood in their body. As well as carrying cells, nutrients, oxygen and waste, blood also helps to regulate body temperature. Blood cells Most blood cells are made in the bone marrow. There are 3 main types of blood cells: red blood cells white blood cells platelets. Red blood cells Red blood cells

What is the urinary system? The bladder is part of the urinary system, or urinary tract. The bladder is an organ in your pelvis that stores urine (wee). It works with the kidneys to rid the body of waste products from the blood. The kidneys and ureters Your kidneys make urine, which is transported to your bladder along tubes called ureters. The bladder and urethra Once the urine reaches the bladder, it stays there until you empty it (urinate/wee). Urine (wee) leaves your body by passing through a narrow tube called the urethra. What happens when you urinate? To urinate (do a wee),

What are eyes? Your eyes allow you to see the shapes and colours of the world around you. They are sometimes described as your windows to the world. What do my eyes do? Your eyes gather light into electrical signals that your brain converts into what you see (your sight). Along with your ears, muscles and joints, your eyes also help coordinate your balance. Parts of my eye Your eye is ball shaped and about 2.5 cm wide. It is not perfectly round. Your eye contains special structures, which help to capture light. If you look at one of your eyes in the mirror,

What are ears? Your ears are important for hearing the sounds around you. They are also important for balance. Each of your ears has 3 parts — the outer, middle, and inner ear. The outer ear The outer ear includes the: visible part of the ear (pinna) external auditory canal (ear canal) tympanic membrane (eardrum) The pinna is made of cartilage, covered by skin. It funnels sound through to the external (outer) ear canal and the eardrum. The eardrum is a tiny membrane, almost like skin stretched very thin. The eardrum moves backwards and forwards in response to sound waves.