Levels of Organization

Model 1: Anatomy & Levels of Organization

An anatomist is a person who studies the structure of a living thing how all the little things are
organized into bigger things. The smallest living structures are cells, but there are things even smaller
than a cell, e.g., atoms and molecules. The following list shows the levels of organization used by
anatomists. Also included are examples items for each level.
Organism (you)
Organ system (nervous system)
Organ (brain)
Tissue (nerve tissue)
Cell (nerve cell or neuron)
Molecule (glucose)
Atom (carbon)

Questions:
1. Using the levels of organization listed above, identify two items that are smaller than cells and
four items that are larger than cells.
Smaller than a cell

Larger than a cell

1. Molecules (glucose)

1. Tissues

2. Atom

2. Organs
3. Organ systems
4. Organism (you)

2. Using the levels of organization listed above, identify two items that can be found inside a cell.
Carbon atoms and glucose molecules can be found inside cells.

3. Examine the follow images and classify (label) each into their proper level of organization.

System

cell

organ

organism

tissue

molecucle

4. Tissues can be found inside organs. True or False

Organs can be found inside tissues. True or False
Are tissues more or less complex than organs?
Tissues are less complex; they are lower on levels of organization graphic. A follow-up question
might be, "What is more complex, an organism or a molecule?"

5. Spend 60 seconds working individually to create a definition for the following two terms. After
60 seconds, discuss your definitions with the group and decide who has the best definition.

Tissue: Example: a collection of different cells working for a common function.

Organ: Example: a collection of different tissues working for a common function.

(Note: some anatomists require an organ to have all four tissue types: connective, epithelial,
muscle, and nerve.)

6. Without the use of books or the Internet, list all the organ systems found in the human body that
are associated with the example organs given in the following chart. The first one is done for you.
Leave blank any that you cannot answer.
1. Skeletal system
(femur)

5. Endocrine
(pituitary gland)

9. Reproductive
(uterus)

2. Cardiovascular
(heart)

6. Respiratory
(lungs)

10. Urinary
(kidney)

3. Nervous
(brain)

7. Digestive
(stomach)

11. Muscular
(biceps brachii)

4. Integumentary
(skin)

8. Lymphatic
(spleen and appendix)

Challenge Questions
7. Organs are sometimes shared by two or more systems - for example, your mouth can be
considered a part of both the digestive and the respiratory systems. Without your book or the
Internet, try to name 3 organs that are shared by two or more body systems, and identify those
body systems.
Example: Organ: Mouth

What two systems? Digestive & Respiratory Systems

a. Organ: Male urethra

What two systems? Urinary & Reproductive Systems

b. Organ: Brain

What two systems? Nervous & Reproductive Systems

c. Organ: Pancreas

What two systems? Digestive & Endocrine Systems

Note: Many other examples exist

8. Within your group, critique the statement Within the body, all atoms combine to form
molecules. Is this a true statement? If not, what are exceptions?
This is not a true statement. For example, there are potassium and sodium ions that do not form
into molecules. Note: there may be some discussion about whether ions are atoms or not,
depending on background chemistry knowledge.
9. Within your group, critique the statement Within the body, all molecules in the body can be
found inside cells. Is this a true statement? If not, what are exceptions?
This is not a true statement. For example, there are hormones, such as insulin, on the outside of a
cell; there is glucose that is outside a cell; etc. Should be noted that even if a molecule is outside
a cell, it will often interact, or even move into the cell. (Example: insulin will bind with cells, and
glucose will move into a cell.) There are many other examples such as extracellular fluids,
proteins in blood, etc.