Download Unit 7 – Diversity in the Biological World: Organism Form and Function

Unit 7 – Diversity in the Biological World:
Organism Form and Function
Part 3: Intro to Human Systems
Each human system has specific functions that it performs for the organism as a whole.
Remember the hierarchy of organization that exists within an organism: cells, tissues, organs,
organ system, and organism. Each level has components that work together to provide functions
for the next level.
I. Tissues are groups of cells with a common structure and function.
Four major categories of tissues:
 epithelial
 connective
 muscle
 nervous
A) Epithelial tissue, formed from sheets of tightly packed cells, covers body surface and
lines internal organs.
Classified according to the
cells' shape and the number of cell layers:
1) Simple squamous epithelium =
2) Simple cuboidal epithelium =
3) Simple columnar epithelium =
4) Stratified squamous epithelium =
B) Connective tissue binds and supports other tissues. This tissue consists of a sparse
population of cells scattered through an extracellular matrix.
Six types of connective tissue:
1) Loose connective tissue =
2) Adipose tissue =
3) Blood =
4) Fibrous connective tissue =
5) Cartilage =
6) Bone =
C) Muscle tissue consists of long, excitable cells capable of contraction. This tissue
functions in movement. Three types of muscle tissue:
1) Skeletal muscle =
2) Cardiac muscle =
3) Visceral (smooth) muscle =
D) Nervous tissue senses stimuli and transmits signals to form a communication network.
Neuron = nerve cell specialized to conduct an impulse. It consists of:
 Cell body =

Dendrite =

Axon =
II. Cooperative interactions within organisms promote efficiency in the use of energy and matter
A. Organisms exhibit complex properties due to interactions between their constituent parts.
From organelles to cells to tissues, organs, and organ systems, organisms have areas or
compartments that perform a subset of functions related to energy and matter, and these
parts contribute to the whole.
1. At the cellular level, the plasma membrane, cytoplasm and, for eukaryotes, the
organelles contribute to the overall specialization and functioning of the cell.
Review: endomembrane system involved in the manufacture and export of protein
2. Within multicellular organisms, specialization of organs contributes to the overall
functioning of the organism. The interactions and coordination between organs provide
essential biological activities.
a) Digestion of food: Stomach, pancreas, intestines
b) Excretion of wastes: Kidney, ureter, bladder
3. Interactions and coordination between systems provide essential biological activities.
a) Respiratory and Circulatory
________ contain millions of ____________ (tiny air sacs) that have a moist film lining their
surface for rapid __________________________.
To deliver the ________ to the body cells, the _____________ are covered in a web of
_________________ that pick up the _________ and carry it through the
_________________ ____________. (opposite for
b) Nervous and Muscular
When an __________________ signal reaches the end of an
__________, the neurotransmitter __________________________ is
released. This acts as a ______________, that binds to a
_________________ on the _____________ cell which then opens
________ channels.
_________ is an ion needed for muscle contraction.
B. Interactions among cells of a population of unicellular organisms can be similar to those of
multicellular organisms, and these interactions lead to increased efficiency and utilization of
energy and matter.
1. Bacterial community in the rumen of animals
Ruminants –
They rely on microbial action (prokaryote and protist) to digest cellulose and produce
nutrients (vitamins and amino acids)
**Cows actually absorb more nutrients than what’s present in their diet.
2. Bacterial community in and around deep sea vents
Chemosynthetic (__________________________) vent bacteria are the base of the food chain
at ___________________________.
Water from the vents is rich in dissolved minerals and sulfur (used in chemosynthesis).
They grow as a thick mat and are the ______________ level for food chains including snails,
shrimp, crabs, tubeworms, and fish.