organ

anatomical unit

Anatomical structure that performs a specific function or group of functions [WP].

Type Organ
Structure parente multicellular anatomical structure
Nom latin anatomical unit
FMA ID 67498

Sous-structures

vestibular organ Organ nucleus pulposus Nerve respiration organ Organ photophore Organ pit organ Organ placenta Organ plume Organ radula Bone reproductive organ Organ scolex Organ ring of oral cilia Organ skeletal element Bone simple organ Organ spermathecum Organ skin of body Organ oral cirrus Organ accessory nasal sac Organ anal sac Gland arthropod fat body Bone compound cell cluster organ Organ compound organ Organ tracheobronchial tree Organ mammalian vulva Organ opisthosome Organ digestive system element Organ serous sac Tendon spermaceti organ Organ trophosome Organ dorsal region element Bone echolocation organ Organ electric organ Organ Hatschek's nephridium Organ gill Organ gland Gland hemopoietic organ Organ immune organ Organ junk chamber Organ ligament Ligament tubeworm tube Organ membrane organ Organ membranous labyrinth Organ muscle organ Muscle synovial bursa Bone sympathetic trunk Nerve tube foot ampulla Organ trunk region element Organ toxactinium Organ velum feeding organ Organ vocal organ Organ urethra Muscle sense organ Organ

Questions fréquentes

What qualifies as an organ in anatomy?
An organ is an anatomical structure that performs a specific function or group of related functions as an integrated unit. Organs are typically composed of two or more tissue types (epithelial, connective, muscular, and/or nervous tissue) that work together. The heart, liver, kidney, lung, and skin are classic examples, but the classification can extend to smaller structures like lymph nodes or the adrenal gland, which similarly integrate multiple tissue types for a dedicated function.
How do organs relate to organ systems?
Organs are the building blocks of organ systems — groups of organs that cooperate to perform broader physiological functions. For example, the heart and blood vessels together form the cardiovascular system; the stomach, intestines, liver, and pancreas together form the digestive system. Individual organs have their own intrinsic functions but operate within the context of their system, and dysfunction in one organ affects the entire system's performance.
Is the skin an organ?
Yes — the skin is the largest organ of the human body by surface area (~1.7–2 m² in adults). It qualifies as an organ because it integrates multiple tissue types (epidermis, dermis, hypodermis, plus hair follicles, sweat glands, and sensory receptors) performing diverse functions: protection against pathogens and UV radiation, temperature regulation, sensory detection, vitamin D synthesis, and water loss prevention. This multitissue, multifunctional integration is the hallmark of organ status.

Structures associées

mucus body coating mucous body coating mucus cocoon mucous cocoon Mullerian duct ductus paramesonephricus multi cell part structure cell part cluster multicellular anatomical structure multicellular structure multilaminar epithelium laminated epithelium multi-tissue structure multi-tissue structures multi-unit eye

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Data sources: Terminologia Anatomica, Foundational Model of Anatomy, Wikidata.