organ+-+definition


 * Pharynx – the throat, the region of the alimentary canal in humans and in vertebrate animals that lies between the mouth and esophagus

Esophagus – the passage down which food moves between the throat and the stomach

Stomach – an organ resembling a sac in which food is mixed and partially digested. It forms part of the digestive tract of vertebrates and is situated between the esophagus and the small intestine.

Small Intestine – the part of the intestine between the stomach and large intestine, consisting of the duodenum, jejunum, and ileum, where digestion of food and most absorption of nutrients takes place

Large Intestine – the end section of the alimentary canal reaching from ileum to anus, and consisting of the cecum, colon, and rectum. It function is to extract water and form feces.

Appendix – a blind-ended tube leading form the first part of the large intestine (cecum), near its junction with the small intestine.

Rectum – the lower part of the large intestine, between the colon and the anal canal

Pancreas – a large elongated glandular organ lying near the stomach. It secretes juices into the small intestine and the hormones insulin, glucagon, and somatostatin in the bloodstream

Liver - a vascular glandular organ in vertebrates that secretes bile, stores and filters blood, and takes part in many metabolic functions, for example, the conversion of sugars into glycogen.

Kidney - either of a pair of organs in the abdomen of vertebrates that filter waste liquid resulting from metabolism of the blood, which is subsequently excreted as urine

Bladder - an organ or other body part for storing a liquid or gas, especially the sac that stores urine (urinary bladder) or the sac that stores bile (gallbladder)

Urethra - the tube in mammals that carries urine from the bladder out of the body and in the male also carries semen during ejaculation

Larynx - the cartilaginous box-shaped part of the respiratory tract between the level of the root of the tongue and the top of the trachea.

Trachea - the tube in air-breathing vertebrates that conducts air from the throat to the bronchi, strengthened by incomplete rings of cartilage.

Bronchus -a tube leading from the windpipe to a lung, which provides for the passage of air.

Bronchiole -a narrow tube inside the lungs that branches off the main air passages

Alevolar Sac -** The bronchioles end in irregular, swollen projections known as alveolar ducts (terminal branches composed of special gas-exchanging tissue) and alveolar sacs (blind passages of alveolar ducts). The alveolar sacs are tiny, thin-walled, cup-shaped structures (250Â–300 mm2) are lined with a detergent-like substance known as surfactant, which reduces surface tension and prevents them from collapsing during breathing. Another substance in the alveolar wall, elastin, applies an elastic force to "shrink" the alveoli during exhalation. There are approximately 3,000,000 alveoli in the lungs. source: http://www.pulmonologychannel.com/anatomy.shtml


 * Pituitary Gland - a small oval gland at the base of the brain in vertebrates, producing hormones that control other glands and influence growth of the bone structure, sexual maturing, and general metabolism.

Adrenal Gland – an endocrine gland located above each kidney. The inner part (medulla) of each gland secretes epinephrine and the outer part (cortex) secretes steroids.

Thyroid Gland - an endocrine gland located in the neck of human beings and other vertebrate animals that secretes the hormones responsible for controlling metabolism and growth.

Encarta® World English Dictionary © 1999 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Developed for Microsoft by Bloomsbury Publishing Plc.**