C870 surveys the healthy human body: how it is built, how each organ system works and how the systems keep the body stable.
As a human anatomy and physiology course, it brings together two views of the same body. Anatomy describes structure (what a part is and where it sits). Physiology describes function (what it does and how). Strong answers keep linking the two.
The main difficulty is volume. Terminology, tissue types and a dozen organ systems arrive quickly, and memorizing lists without understanding how the systems interact makes explanation tasks hard.
Course at a Glance
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| University | Western Governors University (WGU) |
| Course code | C870 |
| Subject area | Human anatomy and physiology |
| Focus | The healthy (not diseased) body |
| Typical work | Written explanations or an exam; check your course page |
What C870 Covers
| Area | Typical content |
|---|---|
| Terminology | Directional terms, body planes, regions and cavities |
| Cells and tissues | Epithelial, connective, muscle and nervous tissue |
| Support and movement | Integumentary, skeletal and muscular systems |
| Control | Nervous, sensory and endocrine systems |
| Transport and defense | Cardiovascular and lymphatic systems |
| Exchange and processing | Respiratory, digestive and renal systems |
| Continuity | Reproductive system |
Key Concepts Explained
Structure Fits Function
The shape of a structure usually explains its job. Thin alveolar walls allow gas diffusion; folded small intestine walls with villi increase absorption area; thick left ventricle muscle pumps blood around the whole body.
Example: Why is the left ventricle wall thicker than the right? The right ventricle pumps blood only to the nearby lungs at low pressure. The left ventricle pumps blood to every tissue in the body against much higher resistance, so it needs more muscle.
Homeostasis and Negative Feedback
Homeostasis keeps internal conditions within a narrow range. Most control uses negative feedback: a sensor detects change, a control center compares it with a set point, and an effector reverses the change.
Example: After a meal, blood glucose rises. Pancreatic beta cells release insulin, which helps cells take up glucose and the liver store it as glycogen. Glucose falls back towards normal and insulin release slows.
Positive Feedback
A few processes use positive feedback, which amplifies a change until an event ends it. Blood clotting and labor contractions are the classic examples: each step triggers more of the same response until the clot forms or the baby is delivered. Knowing the exception helps you explain why most body control relies on negative feedback.
Systems Working Together
No system acts alone. During exercise, the nervous system raises heart rate, the respiratory system increases ventilation, the cardiovascular system redirects blood to muscles and the skin releases heat through sweating.
Levels of Organization and Tissue Types
Anatomy and physiology courses usually start with levels of organization: chemical, cellular, tissue, organ, organ system and organism. Each level builds on the one below, and a problem at one level shows up at the others.
| Tissue type | Main role | Example |
|---|---|---|
| Epithelial | Covers, lines, secretes | Skin surface, gut lining |
| Connective | Supports, binds, transports | Bone, blood, tendons |
| Muscle | Produces movement | Skeletal, cardiac, smooth |
| Nervous | Sends signals | Brain, nerves |
Knowing these four types makes organ systems easier, because every organ is built from a combination of them. The stomach, for example, has an epithelial lining, smooth muscle layers, connective tissue and nerves.
Typical Tasks and How to Approach Them
| Task type | What it tests | How to approach it |
|---|---|---|
| System explanation | Structure-function links | Name the structure, then explain its function |
| Homeostasis scenario | Feedback reasoning | Use sensor, control center and effector steps |
| Terminology questions | Precise language | Practice directional terms on diagrams |
| System interaction | Integration | Trace one event through two or three systems |
Where Students Get Stuck
- Memorizing without meaning. Lists fade quickly; explaining why a structure looks the way it does sticks.
- Terminology mix-ups. Proximal and distal, superior and inferior, afferent and efferent are frequent errors.
- Feedback loops. Students often describe the response but forget the sensor or set point.
- Endocrine detail. Hormones are easier as a table of gland, hormone, target and effect.
Study Tips for C870
- Study one system at a time, then link it to two others.
- Draw and label structures from memory, then check.
- Make a hormone table and review it every few days.
- Explain a feedback loop aloud from start to finish.
- Use spaced repetition flashcards for terminology.
How We Help with C870
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Frequently Asked Questions
The structure and function of the healthy human body: terminology, cells and tissues, and the major organ systems, with homeostasis linking them.
Check your course page. The title does not include a lab, unlike some of WGU's other anatomy and physiology courses.
Many students find the endocrine and nervous systems hardest because of the detail. Tables and diagrams help.
Learn each system's main structures and functions, then practice explaining how it works with other systems.
No. We never take exams or log in for students. We provide notes, explanations and practice questions.
No. We are independent and not connected with Western Governors University.