Question

In our first class we discussed integration between the body systems. In your own words, discuss each of the body systems and give examples of how the systems are integrated with each other. Please do not just say blood flows through each system, but expand on how a homeostatic imbalance in one system affects another. Again, use examples. Explain how they work together to achieve homeostasis. Use physiology terms learned this semester.

Answer 1

Each organ system performs specific functions for the body,however, the organ systems also work together to help the body maintain homeostasis. Homeostasis is a process by which a body maintains stabe internal enviorment, any factor which disrupts this mechanism can result in state of disease or even death. The nervous system controls virtually all body activities, and the endocrine system secretes hormones that regulate these activities. Functioning together, the organ systems supply body cells with all the substances they need and eliminate their wastes. They also keep temperature, pH, and other conditions at just the right levels to keep disease free state and support life processes.

For eg, the cardiovascular system, muscular system, nervous system, integumentary system and respiratory system, all work together to maintain or regulate body's internal temperature, for eg, if your external enviornment becomes too cold, the body responds by activating signals in the hypothalamus, which is temperature regulation center in the brain, in response to this blood vessel in the skin constrict, and blood flow to the extremities like arms and legs slows, Muscles contract and relax rapidly, which generates heat to keep you warm. The hair on your skin rises, trapping more air, which is a good insulator, near your skin, all these responses result in increasing the temperature and restoring to normal levels. On the other hand if external temperature increases, the reverse happens, the blood vessels dilate, allowing more blood to flow near the skin’s surface. This allows heat to dissipate through the skin and into the surrounding air, the skin starts to  sweat and when the sweat evaporates, it helps to cool the body, rapid breathing can also help the body eliminate excess heat, all these trys to restore body's temperature to normal levels.

Another example is body's control of water balance, where  the cardiovascular, urinary, and lymphatic systems work together to maintain water balance, when the water level gets too high, the urinary system produces more dilute urine to help eliminate the excess water when the water level gets too low, more concentrated urine is produced so that water is conserved. The digestive system also plays a role with variable water absorption.the cardiovascular system and lymphatic system helps by transporting  fluids throughout the body so that any change in the water volume is reflected as change in blood pressure or blood osmolarity and this picked by the receptors in the kidney. All this very important, to maintain water balance, blood pH, blood osmolarity, blood pressure,etc.