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1103 Chapter 1. An Introduction to the Human Body
1.2 Structural Organization of the Human Body
Learning Objectives
By the end of this section, you will be able to:
Define the terms organ, organ system, and organism
Describe the chemical, cellular, tissue, organ, organ system, and organismal levels of structural organization in the body
Name the eleven organ systems of the human body, identifying the major organs found in each, and identify at least one major function of each
Before you begin to study the different structures and functions of the human body, it is helpful to consider its basic architecture; that is, how its smallest parts are assembled into larger structures. It is convenient to consider the structures of the body in terms of fundamental levels of organization that increase in complexity: subatomic particles, atoms, molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organisms and biosphere (Figure 1).