TEMA 1.

The organization of the

human body

Human beings as pluricelular organisms

 Human being as a living being
Common basic characteristics of human beings as living
beings:
• Chemical composition: BIOMOLECULES: PROTEINS,
LIPIDS, GLUCIDS, MINERALS, WATER…
• Trillions of EUKARYOTIC CELLS made up our body: our
cells have a nucleus and we are MULTICELLULAR.
• 3 life functions: REPRODUCTION, INTERACTION,
NUTRITION.
• HETEROTROPHS: We need to take organic matter
(produced by other living things) to get the energy/
matter we need to live. “WE CAN’T PRODUCE OUR OWN
FOOD”
 Levels of organization
• Our cells can be classified into up to 200 types; each
one has different functions, but all of them work in
COORDINATION. ¿What functions do these cell types perform?

• Each type of cell is

SPECIALIZED in those
functions.
Diverse cell types
• Cardimyocyte: heart
• Osteocyte: Bone
• Adipocyte: Adipose tissue
• Erythrocyte/leucocyte: blood
• Keratinocyte: skin
• Hepatocyte: liver
• Trombocyte: blood clothing
• Neuron: nervous tissue
• Espermatozoon: reproduction
• ……………
• Each one has a function, but many
times they associate to perform
more complex functions, making up
other types of organization:
TISSUES, ORGANS……
Levels of organization
 Levels of organization
• Cells in our body organize themselves into different
levels of complexity, forming structures more and
more complex, to perform equaly complex
functions. Those levels are called …
• LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION:

• CELLTISSUEORGANORGAN SYSTEMAPPARATUS
• A complex organ as the arm, performs many
functions and so requires a lot of different tissues
working together each in a particular function:
ORGAN SYSTEM VS. APPARATUS CONFUSION

An APPARATUS contains organ systems that cooperate in ONE of the 3 life functions
 LEVELS OF ORGANIZATION
• CELL: Smallest living thing, able to perform the
three life functions INDEPENDENTLY.
• TISSUE: Group of cells with the same embryonic
origin and a specific function.
• ORGAN: Group of tissues performing one or
more functions coordinatedly.
• ORGAN SYSTEM: Group of organs performing
some complex and coordinated functions.
 HUMAN CELL STRUCTURE
• The cell is the BASIC UNIT of our organism; it
makes up all body structures and hguman
functions take place inside our cells.
HUMAN CELL IS EUKARYOTHIC
(ITS GENETIC MATERIAL IS
ENCLOSED IN A CENTRAL AREA
CALLED “NUCLEUS”)

HUMAN CELL IS HETEROTROPHIC

(OBTAINS ITS ENERGY BY
CONSUMPTION OF ORGANIC
MATTER OBTAINED FROM OTHER
LIVING THINGS BY FEEDING ON
THEM)
 Basic part of the human cell
• Cell (or Plasmatic)
membrane: Separates and
communicates the cell
from/with the environment.
• Cytoplasm: Jelly-like
substance containing
ORGANELLES, where cell
functions are made.
• Nucleus: Contains the
GENETIC MATERIAL,
separated from the
cytoplasm with NUCLEAR
MEMBRANE.
 Organelles and cell functions
• Each organell carries out a specific function,
essential in keeping cell life functions working.
 Table of organelles and cell functions
Endoplasmic System of membranous
Reticulum: tubules and sacs,
surrounding the nucleus.
Rough (RER) with RER: synthesizes and
ribosomes, and stores proteins. SER:
Smooth (SER), has synthesizes and stores
no ribosomes lipids

Mitochondrion Double-membrane organell

which obtains energy for
the cells in a process called
CELL RESPIRATION of
nutrients

Vacuole Small membranous vesicles

that store different reserve
substances (gases, water,
lipids, glucids) or waste
products. Collaborate in
nutrition
Golgi Body Made up of flattened and
piled sacs (cisternae)
forming a “Dyctiosome”
Processes and releases
proteins, enzymes, glucids
by means of lysosomes to
the outside of the cell or
other parts of the cell.
Lysosomes Membranous sacs
produced by the Golgi
Body, containing digestive
enzymes and participate in
cell digestion

Ribosomes Small non-membranous

organells in charge of
producing proteins. Can be
attached to the RER or free
in the cytoplasm
Cytoskeleton Vast net of protein
filaments forming a
“scaffolding” to which
organnelles attach and
keeps the shape of the
cell.

Centrioles & Centrosome Cylinders made up of

protein filaments. They
control the cilia and
flagelli movements, build
the cytoskeleton and
control the cell division
during cell reproduction.
Centrosomes are made up
of two centrioles tilted 90º
from each other.
Video summary on the cell
 How cells exchange substances?
• Cells need to take nutrients from the outside
environment and release waste produced in
metabolism.
• Cells use their plasmatic membrane to REGULATE
EXCHANGE substances with the environment.
• Exchange occurs thanks to the SEMIPERMEABLE
nature of the membrane (=IT ONLY ALLOWS THE
PASSAGE OF CERTAIN PARTICLES AND MOLECULES)
 Mechanisms for exchange
• Diffusion: SMALL MOLECULES (O2, H2O, CO2) can
cross the membrane FROM HIGH CONCENTRATION
AREAS TO LOW CONCENTRATION AREAS
• Diffusion occurs typically in our lungs: O2 rich air in the alveoli
forces it to cross to the blood; CO2-rich blood forces CO2 to the
alveoli to be eliminated.
 Active transport
• Sometimes the cells need to continue taking basic
substances although they are in higher
concentration inside the cell (sugar, O2, etc.).
• Then occurs ACTIVE TRANSPORT; substances run
from LOW TO HIGH CONCENTRATIONS:
• As active transport moves molecules against their
concentration; requires some energy
consumption
 Osmosis
• It is a special type of transport in which water
moves from diluted to concentrated solutions
through a SEMIPERMEABLE MEMBRANE,
balancing their concentrations:
 HYPOTONIC, HYPERTONIC, ISOTONIC

• Cells in our body are surrounded by liquids

that have three possible concentrations:
• HYPERTONIC: Higher salinity (higher
concentration) outside the cell.
• ISOTONIC: Balanced concentrations between
the cell and the environment.
• HYPOTONIC: Lower salinity in the liquid
surrounding the cell.
Osmosis and water absorption by cells
• Cells use osmosis to absorb or release water so
they can balance the salinity of their cytoplasm
with that of the environment, avoid dehydration
• In a HYPOTONIC solution CELLS ABSORB WATER,
get TURGID and eventually can burst (GET LYSED).
• Surrounded by a HYPERTONIC solution, CELLS
RELEASE WATER, SHRIVE and finally PLASMOLIZE
• In an ISOTONIC SOLUTION cells have a balanced
amount of water and salt (Physiological serum)
 Endocytosis
• Some cells need to incorporate larger particles
that cannot be absorbed through the
membrane (Macrophages in lungs or in our
blood eliminate viruses, bacteria, dust, smoke,
ash, pollen, etc., using ENDOCYTOSIS.
• Then, membrane collapses and encloses the
particle forming a vesicle; that is ENDOCYTOSIS.
Opposite process is EXOCYTOSIS (lysosomal
secretion of enzymes).
Endo/Exocytosis
TISSUES
In our body there are different
types of cells performing
different functions:
IN THE HUMAN BODY, CELLS OF THE SAME
TYPE AND FUNCTION, GROUP TOGETHER TO
COLLABORATE AND FORM A TISSUE

TISSUE: A GROUP OF CELLS PERFORMING THE

SAME FUNCTION AND SIMILAR MORPHOLOGY,
all of them originated from the same group of
embryonic STEM CELLS
 4 MAJOR TYPES OF TISSUES
• EPITHELIAL: Covers external and
internal surfaces in the body.
• CONNECTIVE: Support, and
connect organs and systems.
• MUSCLE: Collaborates in the
movementof or body and
internal organs.
• NERVOUS: Transmits the nerve
impulse and coordinates the
functioning of all other body
systems.
 EPITHELIAL TISSUE
• EPITHELIA covers the surface of our body (SKIN)
and the internal lining of many organs (DIGESTIVE
SYSTEM, BLADDER, RESPIRATORY TRACT, URETHRA,
GLANDS).
• Made up of various layers of cells closely joined
together.
• Two types: 1) EPITHELIUM TISSUE
• 2) GLANDULAR TISSUE
 EPITHELIUM
• Forms the skin and the internal lining of body
cavities: DIGESTIVE, RESPIRATORY, EXCRETORY
TRACTS.
• Protects organs against dehydration, infections,
wounds, etc..(it is the FIRST DEFENSE BARRIER
againts pathogenic agents: viruses)
SKIN TRACHEA
 Glandular epithelium
• In charge of production and release of different
substances (saliva, tears, digestive juices). Cells of
this epithelium organize in glands.

Intestinal epithelium with digestive glands (MUCOSA) SALIVARY GLAND

 CONNECTIVE TISSUES
• Made up of cells EMBEDDED in an extracellular
component (MATRIX) that joins the cells together.
MATRIX can be solid (bone, cartilague), semiliquid
(conjunctive, adipose) or liquid (blood).
CARTILAGINOUS TISSUE
• Five types:
BONE
TISSUE

CONJUNCTIVE TISSUE

ADIPOSE TISSUE
BLOOD TISSUE
 CONJUNCTIVE TISSUE
• Stuffing among organs and scaffolding to which
they attach to keep body shape and organs in
place.
• Matrix is rich in protein fibers as COLLAGEN.
• Makes up the tendons and ligaments

Conjunctive tissue under our skin

 ADIPOSE TISSUE
• Cells called adipocytes accumulate droplets of fat
(lipids) in their vessicles and vacuoles, as energy
reserve, and thermal insulator of the body and
protection against hits.
 CARTILAGINOUS TISSUE
• Firm and elastic tissue made up of cells
(CHONDROCYTES) embedded in a semi-solid,
jelly-like matrix.
• Makes up the joints and strengthens the larynx,
trachea and nose. Young bones are cartilaginous
 BONE TISSUE
• Made up of cells (OSTEOCYTES) enclosed in a
rigid/solid made up of proteins (collagen) and
Calcium Phosphate (mineral). Osteocytes secrete
the solid bone. Supports, gives shape to the
organism, allows movement and CREATES BLOOD
CELLS in the BONE MARROW
OSTEOCYTES
 Bone marrow
• Our bones produce blood cells of our organisms in
the innermost part of the bone, called BONE
MARROW
 MUSCLE TISSUE
• Made up of MYOCYTES (or “muscle
fibers”); elongated contractile cells
capable of relaxing and contract.
• Responsible for the body’s movements.
• 3 TYPES: STRIATED, SMOOTH, CARDIAC
 STRIATED MUSCLE TISSUE
• Found in the skeletal muscles and allows the
skeleton to move. Voluntary contraction
 SMOOTH MUSCLE TISSUE
• Allows the movements of internal
organs that contract and relax
involuntarily to perform their
function (except the heart):
STOMACH, INTESTINES, UTERUS,
RECTUM, DIAPHRAGM…
 CARDIAC MUSCLE
• Exclusive for the HEART;
contracts involuntarily but is a
variety of striated muscle.
• Myocytes show striae and
“intercalated discs”: fibrous
unions among them.
 NERVE (NERVOUS) TISSUE
• Highly specialized cells called
NEURONS, which transmit electric
signals called “nerve” impulses.
• Coordination of all other tissues,
organs and body functions is the
mission of the nervous tissue
List the tissues that make up a bone
Organs are made up of tissues
 Organs are made up of tissues
EPITHELIAL (MUCOSA): Nutrient absorption. Secretion of juices
(gland)
CONNECTIVE: Holds MUCOSA together with smooth muscle
SMOOTH MUSCLE: Involuntary contractions drive food through the
intestine.
BLOOD TISSUE: absorbs nutrients and feeds intestine cellsNERVOUS
TISSUE: Moves muscle. Transmits sensations

THE SMALL
INTESTINE