It’s fitting that we begin our journey through the body systems with the digestive system, since that’s where the body receives and processes the nutrition that sustains life. There’s no body system we could live without, of course, but the digestive system makes its importance known morning, noon, and night— when it growls for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. It’s the digestive system that transforms our meat and potatoes into a form that can be absorbed by the body’s trillions of cells.
In this study unit, you’ll find out much more about the anatomy and physiology of the digestive system. You’ll also learn about specific components of the urinary system, and the anatomy, physiology, and pathology of the musculoskeletal system. Finally, you’ll be introduced to the most complex and sophisticated body system, the nervous system, and its two parts: the central nervous system and the peripheral nervous system.
When you complete this course study, you’ll be able to:
- Describe the overall function of the digestive, urinary, musculoskeletal, and nervous systems
- Identify the major structures within each system
- Explain the functions of the structures within each system
- Recognize the meaning of terms related to these systems
