{"id":4727,"date":"2019-06-24T14:39:19","date_gmt":"2019-06-24T14:39:19","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/acchumanbio\/chapter\/9-5-3\/"},"modified":"2023-11-30T18:49:13","modified_gmt":"2023-11-30T18:49:13","slug":"9-5-3","status":"publish","type":"chapter","link":"https:\/\/pressbooks.ccconline.org\/acchumanbio\/chapter\/9-5-3\/","title":{"raw":"7.7 Interactions of Organ Systems","rendered":"7.7 Interactions of Organ Systems"},"content":{"raw":" \r\n\r\n[h5p id=\"545\"]\r\n\r\nFigure 7.7.1 Everyone on a baseball team has a special job.\u00a0<\/em>\r\n
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Teamwork<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\nEvery player on a baseball team has a special job. In the Figure 7.7.1 collage, each player has their part of the infield or outfield covered in case the ball comes their way. Other players on the team cover different parts of the field, or they pitch or catch the ball. Playing baseball clearly requires teamwork. In that regard, the human body is like a baseball team. All of the organ systems of the human body must work together as a team to keep the body alive and well. Teamwork within the body begins with communication.\r\n
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Communication\u00a0Among Organ Systems<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\nCommunication\u00a0among [pb_glossary id=\"2804\"]organ systems[\/pb_glossary]\u00a0is vital if they are to work together as a team. They must be able to respond to each other and change their responses as needed to keep the body in balance. Communication among organ systems is controlled mainly by the [pb_glossary id=\"2935\"]autonomic\u00a0nervous system[\/pb_glossary]\u00a0and the\u00a0[pb_glossary id=\"5985\"]endocrine system[\/pb_glossary].\r\n\r\nThe autonomic\u00a0nervous system\u00a0is the part of the [pb_glossary id=\"2908\"]nervous system[\/pb_glossary] that controls involuntary functions.\u00a0The autonomic nervous system, for example, controls\u00a0heart\u00a0rate,\u00a0blood\u00a0flow, and digestion. You don\u2019t have to tell your heart to beat faster or to consciously squeeze\u00a0muscles\u00a0to push food through the\u00a0digestive system. You don\u2019t have to even\u00a0think<\/em>\u00a0about these functions at all! The autonomic nervous system orchestrates all the signals needed to control them. It sends messages between parts of the nervous system, as well as between the nervous system and other organ systems via chemical messengers called neurotransmitters.\r\n\r\nThe\u00a0endocrine system\u00a0is the system of [pb_glossary id=\"2936\"]glands[\/pb_glossary]\u00a0that secrete [pb_glossary id=\"5661\"]hormones[\/pb_glossary] directly into the bloodstream. Once in the\u00a0[pb_glossary id=\"2702\"]blood[\/pb_glossary],\u00a0endocrine hormones circulate to\u00a0cells\u00a0everywhere in the body. The endocrine system itself is under control of the nervous system via a part of the brain called the [pb_glossary id=\"2937\"]hypothalamus[\/pb_glossary]. The hypothalamus secretes hormones that travel directly to cells of the\u00a0[pb_glossary id=\"2938\"]pituitary gland[\/pb_glossary], which is located beneath it. The pituitary gland is the master gland of the endocrine system. Most of its hormones either turn on or turn off other[pb_glossary id=\"5853\"] endocrine glands[\/pb_glossary]. For example, if the pituitary gland secretes thyroid-stimulating\u00a0hormone<\/a>, the hormone travels through the\u00a0circulation\u00a0to the\u00a0thyroid gland, which is stimulated to secrete thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone then travels to cells throughout the body, where it increases their metabolism.\r\n
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Examples of Organ System Interactions<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\nAn increase in cellular metabolism requires more\u00a0[pb_glossary id=\"5725\"]cellular respiration[\/pb_glossary]. Cellular respiration is a good example of organ system interactions, because it is a basic life process that occurs in all living\u00a0[pb_glossary id=\"5665\"]cells[\/pb_glossary].\r\n

Cellular Respiration<\/h2>\r\nCellular respiration is the intracellular process that breaks down glucose with oxygen to produce carbon dioxide and\u00a0energy\u00a0in the form of [pb_glossary id=\"5549\"]ATP[\/pb_glossary] molecules. It is the process by which\u00a0cells\u00a0obtain usable energy to power other cellular processes. Which organ systems are involved in cellular respiration? The [pb_glossary id=\"5451\"]glucose[\/pb_glossary] needed for cellular respiration comes from the\u00a0[pb_glossary id=\"5969\"]digestive system[\/pb_glossary]\u00a0via the\u00a0[pb_glossary id=\"5927\"]cardiovascular system[\/pb_glossary]. The oxygen needed for cellular respiration comes from the\u00a0[pb_glossary id=\"2912\"]respiratory system[\/pb_glossary]\u00a0also via the cardiovascular system. The carbon dioxide produced in cellular respiration leaves the body by the opposite route. In short, cellular respiration requires \u2014 at a minimum \u2014 the digestive, cardiovascular, and respiratory systems.\r\n

Fight-or-Flight Response<\/h2>\r\nThe well-known\u00a0[pb_glossary id=\"6013\"]fight-or-flight response[\/pb_glossary]<\/strong> is a good example of how the [pb_glossary id=\"2908\"]nervous[\/pb_glossary] and [pb_glossary id=\"5985\"]endocrine systems[\/pb_glossary] control other organ system responses. The fight-or-flight response begins when the nervous system perceives sudden danger, as shown in the Figure 7.7.2 diagram. The brain sends a message to the endocrine system (via the pituitary gland) for the adrenal glands to secrete the hormones cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones flood the circulation and affect other organ systems throughout the body, including the cardiovascular, urinary, sensory, and digestive systems. Specific responses include increased heart rate, bladder relaxation, tunnel vision, and a shunting of blood away from the digestive system and toward the muscles, brain, and other vital organs needed to fight or flee.\r\n\r\n[caption id=\"attachment_2942\" align=\"aligncenter\" width=\"457\"]\"The Figure 7.7.2 How the fight-or-flight response occurs.<\/em>[\/caption]\r\n\r\n
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Playing Baseball<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\nThe people playing baseball in the opening collage (Figure 7.7.1) are using multiple organ systems in this voluntary activity. Their [pb_glossary id=\"2908\"]nervous systems[\/pb_glossary] are focused on observing and preparing to respond to the next play. Their other systems are being controlled by the [pb_glossary id=\"5899\"]autonomic nervous system[\/pb_glossary]. The players are using the [pb_glossary id=\"2907\"]muscular[\/pb_glossary], [pb_glossary id=\"2906\"]skeletal[\/pb_glossary], [pb_glossary id=\"2912\"]respiratory[\/pb_glossary], and [pb_glossary id=\"5927\"]cardiovascular systems[\/pb_glossary]. Can you explain how each of these organ systems is involved in playing baseball?\r\n
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Feature: Reliable Sources<\/h1>\r\n<\/div>\r\nTeamwork among organ systems allows the human organism to work like a finely tuned\u00a0machine\u00a0\u2014 at least, it does until one of the organ systems fails. When that happens, other organ systems interacting in the same overall process will also be affected. This is especially likely if the affected system plays a controlling role in the process. An example is type 1\u00a0diabetes<\/a>. This disorder occurs when the\u00a0pancreas\u00a0does not secrete the endocrine\u00a0hormone\u00a0[pb_glossary id=\"2590\"]insulin[\/pb_glossary]. Insulin normally is secreted in response to an increasing level of [pb_glossary id=\"5451\"]glucose[\/pb_glossary] in the blood, and it brings the level of glucose back to normal by stimulating\u00a0body cells\u00a0to take up insulin from the blood.\r\n\r\nLearn more about type 1\u00a0diabetes. Use several reliable Internet sources to answer the following questions:\r\n
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  1. In type 1\u00a0diabetes, what causes the [pb_glossary id=\"5985\"]endocrine system[\/pb_glossary] to fail to produce insulin?<\/li>\r\n \t
  2. If type 1 diabetes is not controlled, which organ systems are affected by high blood glucose levels? What are some of the specific effects?<\/li>\r\n \t
  3. How can blood glucose levels be controlled in patients with type 1 diabetes?<\/li>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n
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    7.7 Summary<\/span><\/h1>\r\n<\/header>\r\n
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