for anyone

 

The Skeletal System and the Integumentary System

 

In response to your classmates’ posts on other systems, comment on a disease that affects their organ system of choice and has subsequent effects on the organ system you have chosen. I chose the respiratory and circulatory system.

Kylie Post

Primary Organ System: Skeletal System

• The bones comprising the skeletal system provide support and structure for the skin of the integumentary system.

Secondary Organ System: Integumentary System

• The integumentary system covers the surface of our entire body and thus provides protection to the skeletal system. 
• The integumentary system also synthesizes Vitamin D which is necessary for bones’ absorption of calcium and deposits of bone salts which are what make bones hard. 

Homeostasis

• This production of Vitamin D by the integumentary system and subsequent absorption of Vitamin D by the skeletal system is one example of how together the two organ systems maintain homeostasis within the body (Marieb, 2015, pp. 130).

Skeletal System Disease

• Osteoporosis is one of the most common diseases to affect the skeletal system.  This disease typically occurs in old age and it results in fragile, easily breakable bones. 
• Osteoporosis affects 50% of women over the age of 65 and 20% of men over the age of 70. 
• As humans age, osteoblast activity slows down resulting in the weakening and thinning of bones.  These weakened bones can be easily broken from a fall or sometimes even just a firm hug! 
• Since bone growth activity slows down as humans age, the fragile broken bones resulting from Osteoporosis take longer to heal than healthy bones and can easily be broken again.  Fractured bones can be painful and an inconvenience since one often has to wear a cast for several weeks while the break heals. 
• Some potential causes of Osteoporosis are smoking, lack of Vitamin D, lack of calcium and protein in one’s diet, lack of estrogen in post-menopausal women, and lack of weight-bearing exercise. 
• Anyone can be at risk for Osteoporosis, and the best proven way to prevent it is to remain active and do strength training exercises which stress the bones, resulting in a stronger, more durable skeletal system (Marieb, 2015, pp. 175).

Ebonee post

 

Primary Organ System – Urinary/Excretory System

Secondary Organ System – Endocrine System

1. The Adrenal glands of the Endocrine System secrete a chemical which allows the kidneys, a vital organ of the Urinary System, to regulate fluids in the body.
2. The Endocrine System has glands that act as a form of communication between the brain and the Urinary System. When the sensory receptors transmit data to the brain that urine or other fluids need to be secreted, it’s done with the help of the glands from the Endocrine System.

Maintaining Homeostasis

1. The hypothalamus, of the Endocrine System, monitors the level of electrolytes in the blood. When the level of electrolytes increases, indicating dehydration, the Urinary System produces an antidiuretic hormone through the Pituitary Gland. When electrolytes decrease, signifying over-hydration, the Urinary System releases excess fluid through sweat or urine.

Disease/Illness of Primary Organ System

1. The primary organ system is the Urinary System and an ailment associated with it is a Urinary Tract Infection or UTI. Various symptoms of the illness include:
   1. Foul smelling urine
   2. Cramping
   3. Cloudy or dark urine
   4. Blood in urine
   5. Pain in bladder, groin or lower abdomen
   6. Frequent urination
   7. Fatigue or fever
   8. Bladder spasms
   9. Sense of incomplete bladder emptying
2. A Urinary Tract Infection may be caused by not properly wiping from front to back after urination; bacteria from the large intestine such as E. Coli, may escape the anus and affect the urethra then traveling up to the bladder; or women have shorter urethras which allows bacteria quick access to the bladder making women more susceptible to the illness.
3. Medical experts rank that an individual’s lifetime risk of getting a Urinary Tract Infection as high as 1 in 2 with women possibly having a reoccurrence for years after the initial diagnosis.
4. Three million cases have been reported in the United States per year
5. A Urinary Tract Infection is a short-term illness that can be resolved within days to weeks; if left untreated, the illness may cause:
   1. Kidney damage
   2. Increased risk in pregnant women to deliver premature infants
   3. Urethral narrowing in men from experiencing recurrent UTIs
   4. Sepsis can be potentially life-threatening if it affects the urinary tract and your kidneys