Have you left your medical consultation confused by the technical terms used by the doctor? If you have trouble understanding what the specialist is referring to, don’t worry. Today, at OneHOWTO, we explain the differences between the system and apparatus of the human body so that you clarify your doubts and get to know your own body better, in addition, we reveal the definition of apparatus and systems.
Systems and devices are the components of the human body, one of the most complex organisms in the universe. If any of these systems or devices do not fulfill their function, there is a risk of serious health problems. Therefore, identifying each of the components is essential to take maximum care of your well-being. Discover, below, the difference between system and device.
What is the human body system?
The origin of the word “system” is located in the Latin system and means the union of elements in an organized way. When speaking of the human body, a system refers to a set of similar organs due to their origin and structure.
In addition, the objective of the systems is to work together to perform a specific physiological function in the body, and before talking about each of them, you should know that the similarity of the organs that make up a system is established based on the type of tissue in the body. which is composed
Human body systems
Specialists in the subject raise different opinions when classifying the systems of the human body. However, from aHOWTO, we want to talk to you about the main ones:
- Nervous system: its mission is to process the stimuli and generate the appropriate responses to each of them. It is subdivided into the central nervous, peripheral nervous, and sensory systems. Its main organs are the spinal cord, the brain, the nerves, the ganglia, the nerve endings, and the sensory system.
- Circulatory system: led by the heart as the engine, this system is responsible for nourishing every cell in the body. Oxygen and nutrients are transported through veins and arteries but, in addition, this system also collects waste from metabolism and sends it back to the organs responsible for eliminating us from the body.
- Respiratory system: its fundamental components are the nostrils, the pharynx, the larynx, the trachea, the lungs, and the diaphragm and its main task, as you well know, is to bring the oxygen necessary for the life of the cells to the heart. Subsequently, this system is responsible for removing carbon dioxide from the blood of the body.
- The digestive system: embodied in the image below, is responsible for the transformation of food into usable nutrients. The mouth, esophagus, stomach, small intestine, colon, rectum, and anus are the organs belonging to this system. In addition, the liver and pancreas participate in the digestive process by producing gastric juices.
- Excretory or urinary system: it is responsible for maintaining the chemical balance of the body through the expulsion of metabolic waste. The kidneys, bladder, ureters, urethra, and sphincters are also part of this system.
- The endocrine system is responsible for the regulation of metabolism, sexual function, and growth. This is achieved thanks to the hormones secreted by the eight glands that the human body possesses.
- Immune system: its main function is to fight bacteria, viruses, and any agent that disturbs or threatens the normal functioning of the body
- Lymphatic system: opposes the spread of disease, destroys or eliminates toxic substances, and transports lipids (organic compounds such as fats or oils) to the bloodstream. It is made up of circulatory ducts or capillaries where the fluid produced in the tissues is stored and distributed.
- Reproductive system: it is in charge of combining the necessary elements to achieve human conception or reproduction. The female reproductive system is made up of the ovaries, fallopian tubes, vagina, and uterus, while in the case of men, the testes, the vas deferens, and the penis are their reproductive organs.
- Muscular system: its function is to allow postural and blood movement thanks to the 650 muscles that we have distributed in three types: skeletal, smooth, and cardiac.
- Skeletal or bone system: it is in charge of giving structure and mobility to the body, as well as creating blood cells and storing calcium. It is made up of 206 bones.
- Integumentary system: the skin, hair, and nails are part of this system. It fulfills defense and protection functions and, in addition, regulates the temperature of our body and collaborates in the metabolic purification of the organism.
If you want to learn more about the different systems of the human body, we recommend this article on Systems of the human body and their functions.
What is a device
An apparatus is the set of systems that contribute to fulfilling the same function. For example, the respiratory system captures oxygen which, later, the circulatory system will nourish the cells. In this case, two systems work together to perform a vital task. According to the complexity of the functions to be fulfilled, the specialists distinguish six devices that we will see below.
Human body apparatus
According to the official classification, we can distinguish these devices in the human body:
- The cardiovascular system: is composed of the heart, arteries, veins, capillaries, and arterioles that are responsible for transporting blood through the human body.
- Respiratory system: as we have seen before, the respiratory system is made up of the lungs and airways that are responsible for making oxygen pass through our body in order to oxygenate the blood.
- Digestive system: all the organs that are part of the digestive system are responsible for transforming the food we consume into energy so that our body can benefit from its nutrients. If you want more detailed information about this important device, do not miss this article on What are the parts of the digestive system.
- Reproductive system: as its name indicates, the function of this device is to work for sexual reproduction.
- Excretory or urinary system: through excrement and urine, the organs that make up this system (kidneys and excretory tract) are responsible for removing unnecessary waste from the blood.
- Musculoskeletal system: the function of the musculoskeletal system is none other than to protect some vital organs and to allow the movement of human beings through the bone system and the muscular system.
Difference Between System and Apparatus
The main characteristics to establish the differences between system and apparatus in the human body are the type of tissue and the number of organs that complement them.
- Regarding the type of tissue, the systems group those organs composed of similar or homogeneous tissues. For example, the organs belonging to the skeletal system have a different type of tissue than that present in the organs of the digestive system. Instead, the systems are composed of organs whose tissues are heterogeneous or diverse.
- In addition, an apparatus has a higher number of organs because it is made up of two or more systems. For this reason, the organization of an apparatus is usually more complex than that of a system.
- It is important to note that some experts use the words “system” and “apparatus” synonymously, even though in practice they are not.
Difference Between Organ and System
An organ is only one of the components of a system. Thus, the main difference between “organ” and “system” is observed in the elements that make them up.
Each organ is made up of homogeneous cell masses or tissues and they are structured to fulfill certain functions within the body. For example, the heart is one of the most important organs of the human body but it would never be said that it is a system, but rather that it is an organ that is part of the circulatory system.
The systems, as we have seen, group together a set of organs that work together to perform a vital function. In this case, the heart alone cannot successfully perform its task, since it requires the arteries and veins.
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