Details: The human body is truly remarkable and is designed to function effectiv

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Details: The human body is truly remarkable and is designed to function effectively. Organs are important structures composed of different tissues that facilitate specific functions within the body. Organs function as part of an integrated group of structures known as organ systems. These organ systems form the organizational units that are responsible for crucial processes necessary for sustaining life.

Examples of organ systems include but are not limited to the cardiovascular system, the digestive system, the musculoskeletal system, the nervous system, the excretory system, the endocrine system and the respiratory system. Even organ systems do not function alone. These systems work together, interacting with other organs in a functional network that keeps the body in balance. (Look up the term homeostasis in your text.) When homeostasis or the normal functioning of organ systems is disrupted, disease may develop causing injury to the body, or even death. In this assignment, you will explore organ systems, as well as associated diseases or malfunctions.

Assignment details:

Take a look at the following case studies that detail an outcome associated with a disease/organ malfunction. Select one study to investigate further for your assignment.

Critically evaluate the information provided and correlate it with the organ systems that are affected in the scenario. Use the information that you have gathered to answer the assignment questions that follow the case study. For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, the AIU Library, Web resources, and course materials.

Case Study 1:

Atherosclerosis is narrowing of arteries caused by the accumulation of fatty deposits on the arterial walls.

On June 22, 2002 the St. Louis Cardinals were preparing for their upcoming baseball game against the Chicago cubs. Concern arose when their prized pitcher, 33-year old Darryl Kile did not show up for practice. Soon after, he was found still in his hotel room where he had suddenly died in his sleep (New York Times, 2002). It was discovered that the cause of death was related to three of his coronary arteries being 80-90% blocked as a result of atherosclerosis (New York Times, 2002), which ultimately caused him to undergo a heart attack.

Answer the following assignment questions:

Why would atherosclerosis result in a heart attack? Provide a brief explanation based on how the heart functions.
How are arteries different from veins and capillaries? Describe the functions of both.
Vertebrates and some invertebrates have a closed circulatory system. Explain the advantage of having a closed circulatory system over an open circulatory system?
Briefly explain how the lymphatic system is associated with the circulatory system?
Describe one disease that affects the lymphatic vessels similarly to the way that atherosclerosis affects the arteries?
Case Study 2:

Cigarette smoking remains the leading preventable cause of death in the United States, causing an estimated 438,000 deaths - or about 1 out of every 5 - each year (National Cancer Institute, 2008).

Mr. Amos is now 57 years old and has been smoking for the past 30 years of his life. A recent doctor's visit reveals that Mr. Amos has stage 3 lung cancer, characterized by his symptoms of nagging chest pain, fatigue, coughing up blood, substantial weight loss, and increased carbon dioxide levels in his blood. The doctor informed Mr. Amos that had he quit his smoking habit several years ago, he would have reduced his risk for developing lung cancer later in life. Mr. Amos immediately begins treatment for the lung cancer that has metastasized to his lymph nodes.

Answer the following assignment questions:

What main components in cigarettes affect the respiratory system? Explain their effects on specific organs, cells and/or processes in the respiratory system.
There are alternate mechanisms of transporting carbon dioxide (CO2) and oxygen (O2 ) in the blood. Explain how smoking might lead to increased levels of carbon dioxide in the blood.
Can smoking affect other organ systems of the body? Give specific examples and briefly explain your answer.
How can you correlate cellular respiration with the respiratory system?
Does smokeless tobacco present a reduced risk for lung cancer and other smoking associated diseases? Provide evidence for your answer.
Case Study 3:

Gigantism is abnormally large growth during childhood caused by excess growth hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland.

Robert Wadlow, born on February 22, 1918, weighed a normal eight pounds, six ounces. However, by the time Robert reached the age of six months old, he weighed 30 pounds (Hamilton, 1993). Within only a year, his weight rose to 62 pounds, more than double the normal weight of a baby at 18 months. Aside from his weight, Robert continued to grow at an astounding rate, reaching six feet, two inches and 195 pounds by the time he was eight years old. Robert's unique size was attributed to an over active pituitary gland, which produced much higher than normal levels of growth hormone. At the time of his death in July 1940 at the age of 22, Robert had reached a height of 8 feet 11.1 inches and weighed 485 pounds (Hamilton, 1993).

Answer the following assignment questions:

How does growth hormone regulate various body functions in adults, and what could cause the excess secretion of growth hormone?
Discuss the relationship between growth hormone and insulin, and are there complications associated with their interaction?
Why is gigantism usually more difficult to treat than dwarfism?
Give examples of two other hormones secreted by the pituitary, and briefly describe how they specifically affect other organ systems of the body?
Some athletes have resorted to the illegal use of anabolic steroids to increase strength and muscle size. How are anabolic steroids different from growth hormone? Briefly explain your answer.
References

Baseball: Coroner Verifies the Cause of Kile's Death as Natural (2002, July 17). The New York Times. Retrieved: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/07/17/sports/baseball-coroner-verifies-the-cause-of-kile-s-death-as-natural.html?ref=darryl_kile

Hamilton, S. (1993) Looking back and up: At Robert Pershing Wadlow, the gentle giant. Illinois: Alton Museum of History and Art.

National Cancer Institute (2008). Tobacco Statistics Snapshot. Washington, DC. Retrieved from: http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/tobacco/statisticssnapshot#0_references

Provide references in APA format. This includes a reference list and in-text citations for references used throughout the assignment.

For assistance with your assignment, please use your text, the AIU Library, Web resources, and all course materials. Please refer to the following multimedia course material(s):

Unit 4: The Endocrine System
Unit 4: The Cardiovascular System
External Web links:

Unit 4: Heart Anatomy & Circulatory Information
Unit 4: Health-cares.net
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Explanation / Answer

Cells are the microscopic fundamental units of all living things. Every living thing has cells: bacteria, protozoans, fungi, plants, and animals are the main groups (Kingdoms) of living things. Some organisms are made up of just one cell (e.g. bacteria and protozoans), but animals, including human beings, are multicellular. An adult human body is composed of about 100,000,000,000,000 cells! Each cell has basic requirements to sustain it, and the body's organ systems are largely built around providing the many trillions of cells with those basic needs (such as oxygen, food, and waste removal). There are about 200 different kinds of specialized cells in the human body. When many identical cells are organized together it is called a tissue (such as muscle tissue, nervous tissue, etc). Various tissues organized together for a common purpose are called organs (e.g. the stomach is an organ, and so is the skin, the brain, and the uterus). Ideas about cell structure have changed considerably over the years. Early biologists saw cells as simple membranous sacs containing fluid and a few floating particles. Today's biologists know that cells are inconceivably more complex than this. Therefore, a strong knowledge of the various cellular organelles and their functions is important to any physiologist. If a person's cells are healthy, then that person is healthy. All physiological processes, disease, growth and development can be described at the cellular level. There are many different types of cells in the human body. None of these cells function well on there own, they are part of the larger organism that is called - you. Tissues Cells group together in the body to form tissues - a collection of similar cells that group together to perform a specialized function. There are 4 primary tissue types in the human body: epithelial tissue, connective tissue, muscle tissue and nerve tissue. Epithelial Tissue - The cells of epithelial tissue pack tightly together and form continuous sheets that serve as linings in different parts of the body. Epithelial tissue serve as membranes lining organs and helping to keep the body's organs separate, in place and protected. Some examples of epithelial tissue are the outer layer of the skin, the inside of the mouth and stomach, and the tissue surrounding the body's organs. Connective Tissue - There are many types of connective tissue in the body. Generally speaking, connective tissue adds support and structure to the body. Most types of connective tissue contain fibrous strands of the protein collagen that add strength to connective tissue. Some examples of connective tissue include the inner layers of skin, tendons, ligaments, cartilage, bone and fat tissue. In addition to these more recognizable forms of connective tissue, blood is also considered a form of connective tissue. Muscle Tissue - Muscle tissue is a specialized tissue that can contract. Muscle tissue contains the specialized proteins actin and myosin that slide past one another and allow movement. Examples of muscle tissue are contained in the muscles throughout your body. Nerve Tissue - Nerve tissue contains two types of cells: neurons and glial cells. Nerve tissue has the ability to generate and conduct electrical signals in the body. These electrical messages are managed by nerve tissue in the brain and transmitted down the spinal cord to the body. Organs Organs are the next level of organization in the body. An organ is a structure that contains at least two different types of tissue functioning together for a common purpose. There are many different organs in the body: the liver, kidneys, heart, even your skin is an organ. In fact, the skin is the largest organ in the human body and provides us with an excellent example for explanation purposes. The skin is composed of three layers: the epidermis, dermis and subcutaneous layer. The epidermis is the outermost layer of skin. It consists of epithelial tissue in which the cells are tightly packed together providing a barrier between the inside of the body and the outside world. Below the epidermis lies a layer of connective tissue called the dermis. In addition to providing support for the skin, the dermis has many other purposes. The dermis contains blood vessels that nourish skin cells. It contains nerve tissue that provides feeling in the skin. And it contains muscle tissue that is responsible for giving you 'goosebumps' when you get cold or frightened. The subcutaneous layer is beneath the dermis and consists mainly of a type of connective tissue called adipose tissue. Adipose tissue is more commonly known as fat and it helps cushion the skin and provide protection from cold temperatures.

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