Principles of Organisation – 2.1

Human Organisation – AQA (8461)

In this course, Dr Nicola Aberdein (Sheffield Hallam University) covers human organisation, covering topics 2.1 & 2.2.1-2.2.4 in the AQA Biology (9-1) Specification for Higher Tier. We start out (i) by going over the principle of organisation, including the layers of organisation as well as how organ systems facilitate exchange of nutrients; we then (ii) discuss the respiratory system where we break down the gross anatomy, its adaptation for gas exchange as well as breathing and ventilation; we then (iii) move on to the digestive system where we once again look at its anatomy, but then focus on the stomach, liver and large intestine in more detail; following this (iv) we take a deep dive into the chemistry of the food we digest; then (v) we look even deeper into how we digest our food on a biochemical level when discussing enzymes and how they work; following this (vi) we take a look at a different organ system, the cardiovascular system, discussing the heart and blood vessels; and finally (vii) we finish up by looking at the makeup of the blood and how cardiovascular disease can occur and how it can be treated.

Principles of Organisation – 2.1

In this first mini-lecture, we kick off the course by discussing the principles of human organisation. This begins with breaking down the various levels of organisation, from organelles to entire organ systems. We finish off by highlighting some of the vital characteristics of organ systems, and the importance of efficient exchange surfaces.