The human body is primarily made up of trillions of cells, regarded as the fundamental unit of life.
A tissue is made up of similar cells that perform similar functions. These tissues combine to form organs, which then form an organ system, which gives rise to an individual.
How much do we really understand about our own bodies? Do you know how many organs we have?
Let’s take a closer look at the various types of organs in the human body.
What is an Organ?
All living things, including plants, animals, birds, insects, reptiles, mammals, and humans, have organs made up of the same type of tissues that are well-organized to perform specific functions.
Organ systems are made up of multiple organs. The structure of these organs is macroscopic. Organs include the brain, heart, lungs, liver, and kidneys.
Human anatomy is concerned with the structure of the internal organs, whereas physiology is concerned with the functioning of the internal organs. Splanchnology is the study of visceral organs.
Types of Organs in a Human Body
The human body contains a total of seventy-eight significant organs. These organs collaborate to give rise to various organ systems. Five of these 78 organs are considered vital for survival. The heart, brain, kidneys, liver, and lungs are among them. If any of these five organs fail to function for even a few seconds, death will occur without medical intervention. Doctors always advise us to keep our systems healthy by eating a balanced diet, getting enough sleep, engaging in regular physical activities, and focusing on healthy lifestyle changes.
The tabular columns of 78 different types of human body organs are listed below.
Adrenal Glands | Clitoris | Kidneys | Nerves | Salivary Glands | Thymus Gland |
Anus | Colon | Large Intestine | Nose | Scrotum | Thyroid |
Appendix | Diaphragm | Larynx | Oesophagus / Esophagus | Seminal vesicles | Tongue |
Arteries | Ears | Ligaments | Ovaries | Skeletal Muscles | Tonsils |
Bladder | Eyes | Liver | Pancreas | Skin | Trachea |
Bone Marrow | Fallopian Tubes | Lungs | Parathyroid Glands | Small Intestine | Ureters |
Bones | Gallbladder | Lymph Nodes | Penis | Spinal Cord | Urethra |
Brain | Genitals | Lymphatic vessel | Pharynx | Spleen | Uterus |
Bronchi | Hair follicle | Mammary Glands | Pineal Gland | Stomach | Vagina |
Bulbourethral glands | Heart | Mesentery | Pituitary Gland | Subcutaneous tissue | Vas deferens |
Capillaries | Hypothalamus | Mouth | Placenta | Teeth | Veins |
Cerebellum | Interstitium | Nails | Prostate | Tendons | Vestigial organ |
Cervix | Joints | Nasal Cavity | Rectum | Testes | Vulva |
Largest Organs In the Human Body
The following are the results of a survey conducted by the University of California, Berkeley. These macroscopic organs perform a variety of functions.
The skin, liver, brain, lungs, heart, kidney, spleen, pancreas, thyroid, and joints are the body’s ten largest organs. A few of them are discussed in greater detail below.
Skin
The skin is the human body’s largest external organ. It is a vital organ that provides an outer covering that protects against external elements. It also protects our internal organs from pathogens, regulates our body temperature and pH, prevents dehydration, and serves as our primary sense organ. Skin serves as a barrier between the outside and inside environments in both animals and humans. On our body’s surface, the skin covers an area of 19 to 20 square feet. As a result, it is known as the human body’s largest external organ.
Liver
The liver, which weighs between 1.3 and 1.5 kg, is the largest internal organ in the human body. The liver is found only in vertebrates and is located in the upper right portion of the abdomen. It has a triangular, bilobed structure and performs over 500 functions, including blood clotting, pathogen defense, hormone and protein synthesis, and secretion of various enzymes and chemicals.
Major Organs of the Body
As previously stated, all 78 organs are important because they are associated with our body’s specialized functions. There are a few organs that are absolutely necessary for an individual’s survival; thus, they are referred to as the major or vital organs of the body. These are the hardest working organs in the human body, operating 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Brain
It is our body’s most complicated organ. The human brain is located in our skull and is surrounded by a strong bony structure known as the skull. It is suspended in a layer of fluid known as cerebrospinal fluid, which protects the brain from minor mechanical shocks and jolts. The central nervous system is made up of the brain and the spinal cord. It is in charge of thinking, interpreting, regulating, and controlling body movements.
Heart
One of the most important organs in the human body is the heart. The human heart continues to beat until a person dies. Our heart beats seventy times per minute, or nearly forty-two hundred times per hour, and pumps approximately 2,000 gallons of blood per day. The human heart is located in the thoracic cavity, medial to the lungs, slightly to the left, and behind the breastbone. Two-thirds of the heart is located on the left side of the chest, with the remaining third balanced on the right side. An adult heart is about the size of our two hands clasped together, while a child’s heart is about the size of a fist.
Lungs
Humans have two lungs, which are located in the thoracic cavity of the chest. Lungs play an important role in the respiratory system. A pair of lungs in humans is designed to facilitate gas exchange. They are lined by a thin membrane and contain bronchioles, which are smaller tubes, alveoli, which are balloon-like structures, and a group of blood capillaries, which increase the surface area for gas exchange.
Read Also: Human Body
Pancreas
The pancreas is an important part of the human digestive system that regulates blood sugar levels. The spleen, liver, and small intestine surround it as an abdominal organ located behind the stomach. It also helps to produce hormones like glucagon, insulin, somatostatin, and pancreatic polypeptide, as well as secrete digestive enzymes like proteases, amylase, and lipase into the duodenum.
Kidneys
The kidneys are an important organ of the excretory system. They are bean-shaped structures on either side of the backbone that is protected by the ribs and back muscles. It works by filtering excess water from the blood and removing harmful toxins. Along with excretion, the kidneys produce Renin, a hormone that regulates blood pressure.
Eye
The eye is a specialized sense organ that allows us to perceive our surroundings. They are our body’s visual sensory organs, which are sensitive to light images. The human eye is different compared to the animal’s eye. It is a spherical-shaped organ that is enclosed within the eye sockets in the skull and is held in place by muscles within the sockets.
Read Also: Diagram Of Digestive System
Small intestine
The small intestine is the longest part of the alimentary canal and a component of the digestive system that connects the stomach to the large intestine. It is narrower than the large intestine and is responsible for nutrient absorption from digested food, intestinal juice secretion, and receiving bile juice from the liver and pancreatic juice from the pancreas.
This article concludes with an introduction to the 78 organs in the human body, which include the largest and most important organs. Continue to visit our website to learn more about organs, organ systems, their functions, and other related topics and important questions.