The human body contains over 70 organs that are highly specialised to perform different functions. A single organ contains over a million cells all wired to work in harmony and contribute towards the specific functions of a particular part of the body. When you take this into consideration, you will find that it is quite remarkable. Every time an action takes place inside your body, it could be the result of tens of organs bringing together tens of millions of cells to achieve a common goal. Complex activities that work towards saving life use up a lot of energy and produce even more in a bid to avoid a total shutdown of the body. With these incredible figures in mind, let us look at the list of the 10 biggest organs in the body.
10. The prostrate
The average weight of a human prostrate is 20 grams. As an organ, the prostrate works towards secreting seminal fluids that have a role in procreation.
9. Thyroxin
This organ comes in 9th at 35 grams. In terms of specifity, it is the biggest gland in the body and its role is to produce thyroxin, a hormone responsible for the entire process of metabolism.
8. The pancreas
A regular pancreas weighs 95 grams. As a gland, the pancreas is responsible for the production of hormones like insulin and glucagon, both responsible for the processes of generating energy and breaking down food compounds. This organ has both endocrine as well as exocrine attributes.
7. The spleen
This part of the body ensures that enough blood and body fluid courses through your veins. It controls the whole process of producing the fluid we know as blood. It also works towards reducing your susceptibility to the agents that cause disease. As an organ, the spleen weighs 95 grams.
6. The kidneys
Every human child is born with 2 kidneys and by the time one is an adult, both weigh a combined total of 290 grams. The most amazing aspect of the kidneys is that they are almost telepathic in the way they work. If one of them gives out, the other will enlarge and adapt to the duties of the two. These organs work towards purifying our blood, cleaning it up to a minimum of 50 times a day.
5. The heart
No one can exist without a heart. This is aptly seen as the engine room of the human body, pumping blood to all body parts, a continuous process that starts in the womb and ends when we die. The male heart is 315 grams heavy while its female counterpart weighs 265 grams. Its constituent parts include the aorta, auricles and ventricles.
4. Lungs
There is a pair of lungs for every human being, one on the left and the other on the right. Their role is to facilitate the process of breathing, helping us breathe in oxygen and exhale carbon (IV) oxide. The 2 lungs can hold up to 5 liters of air within their confines. Incredibly, the internal surface area of the lungs spans the length of 90 meters.
3. The brain
Like the heart, the brain is essential for the whole process of existence. This organ coordinates every single action taken by the human body; a process that brings together the activities of over 100 billion brain cells. The construction of the brain ensures that it connects with nerve cell all over the body for the purposes of transmission. A regular brain weighs 1,263 grams.
2. The liver
The liver is at the end of the digestive terminal. It receives blood rich in processed food, storing some and distributing others to different body parts. Whatever is left forms urine and is expelled from the body as waste. The average liver has a mass of 1.5 kilograms (1560 grams, to be precise).
1. The skin
Every external part of the human body has skin tissues attached to it, from the top of the head to the soles of the feet. The skin has millions of cells and is the body’s most exterior form of defense against external forces. It is also responsible for functions that relate to excretion and homeostasis. When you are cold, the skin traps heat within its confines and helps you thrive. When it is hot, your skin helps you to lose the excess heat and stay comfortable. A human skin weighs close to 11 kilograms (10,886 grams).
1 Comment
Why aren’t colon and small intestine included in largest human organs?