Our bodies are incredible machines, made up of many different parts that all work together to keep us alive and functioning. Each part has a specific job to do and is essential for our survival. Some of these parts are hidden from view, while others are right there for us to see and use every day. Here, we will go over multiple human body parts that start with O.
Human Body Parts That Start With O
The ovary is one of the essential organs in our body. Female ovaries are responsible for producing eggs and secreting hormones. Other organs that start with “O” include the optic nerve, esophagus, and pancreas. Below are some other parts of the human body that begin with the letter O:
Obturator Foramen | Olfactory Area | Orbital Cavity |
Obturator Internus Muscle | Omental Bursa (Lesser Sac) | Organs |
Obturator Membrane | Omentum | Osteocyte |
Occipital Bone, Basilar Part | Oocyte/Ovum | Ovarian |
Occipital Lobe (Cerebrum) | Optic Chiasm | Ovary |
Occiput | Optic Nerve | Overbite |
Ocular Nerve | Oral Cavity | Ovum |
Oculomotor Nerve | Orbicularis Oculi Muscle | Oxyhemoglobin |
Odontoid Process | Orbital Bone |
Discussion about the Parts
- Obturator Foramen: The Obturator Foramen is a small opening in the pelvis through which nerves and blood vessels pass. These openings run between the pubic bone and the hip bone. The obturator foramen is essential for the4 proper functioning of the hip joint and leg movement. Disorders of the Obturator Foramen can cause pain in the hip, thigh, groin, or lower back and problems with urination, bowel movements, and sexual dysfunction. If you experience these problems, you’ll probably need surgery to correct them.
- Obturator internus Muscle: The Obturator internus muscle is a large, fan-shaped muscle that helps stabilize the hip joint. It comes from the inner surface of the pelvis and inserts into the greater trochanter of the femur (thighbone). This muscle is responsible for both externally and internally rotating your hip joint. The primary function of the Obturator internus muscle is to stabilize the hip joint.
- Obturator Membrane: The obturator membrane is a thin layer of connective tissue that spans the opening of the pelvis. It is attached to the edges of the pubic bones and flares outwards to form a fibrous wall that helps support and protect the pelvic organs. The obturator membrane also plays an essential role in stabilizing the hip joint by serving as an attachment for muscles and ligaments.
- Occipital Bone, Basilar Part: The occipital bone is a human body part located at the back of the head. This bone’s primary function is to protect the brain from being damaged by trauma. The basilar part of the occipital bone is an anatomical term for depression in the occipital bone. This depression serves as a point of attachment for muscles and ligaments. The basilar part gets its name for its triangular shape, resembling a basin or vessel. The occipital bone depression is sometimes referred to as the “Basin Bones” or “Occipital Bone Depression.”
- Occipital Lobe (Cerebrum): The basilar part of the occipital bone is a triangular-shaped area at the base of the skull. It articulates with the temporal bones and the sphenoid bone. The basilar part helps to form the posterior cranial fossa.
- Occiput: Occiput is the back part of the skull. There are two parts: the basilar part and the petrous part. The basilar part is a thin, curved plate that forms the lower and back parts of the cranium. A thick, pyramid-shaped bone makes up most of the occipital bone, called the petrous part.
- Ocular Nerve: The ocular nerve is responsible for carrying visual information from the eyes to the brain. This nerve consists of two main parts: the optic nerve and the oculomotor nerve. The optic nerve is responsible for sending visual information to the brain, while the oculomotor nerve controls eye movement. Both of these nerves work together to allow us to see.
- Oculomotor Nerve: The oculomotor nerve is a cranial nerve that innervates the muscles that control the eye’s movement. It arises from the brainstem and passes through the eye socket to innervate the muscles that control pupil size, accommodation (focusing), and vergence (eye movement).
- Odontoid Process: The odontoid process is a small, tooth-like projection that sits at the human skull base. This bony protrusion helps support and secure the tongue and provides attachment points for several key muscles in the head and neck. The odontoid process starts at the base of the skull, just behind the soft palate. This bony structure extends upward from the foramen magnum -the large opening at the skull base through which the spinal cord passes.
- Olfactory Area: The olfactory area is the part of the brain that processes smell. It resides in the frontal lobe, just above and behind the eyes. It contains special cells called olfactory receptors. Smells in the air activate these receptors, and they send signals to the brain that allow us to smell things.
- Omental Bursa (Lesser Sac): The omental bursa (lesser sac) is a small, thin-walled sac between the stomach and liver. It’s a little pouch filled with fat and lymphatic tissue. The omental bursa is essential because it’s one of the ways the body can drain excess fluid from the abdomen. As a result, it acts as a filter, capturing bacteria, viruses, and other debris in its fatty tissues.
- Omentum: The omentum is the layer of fatty tissue covering the stomach, intestines, and other organs in the abdominal region. It helps protect these organs and acts as a storage area for fat and energy.
- Oocyte/Ovum: The oocyte, or ovum, is the female sex cell. It is the most considerable cell in the human body, and it contains all of the genetic information necessary to create a new individual. When fertilized by a sperm cell, the oocyte gives rise to a zygote, which will develop into an embryo and eventually a baby.
- Optic Chiasm: In the brain, the optic chiasm is where the nerves from each eye cross over. The right half of each nerve sends signals to the left side of the brain and vice versa. This is why people with damage to one-half of their optic chiasm may only have problems seeing in one-half of their field of vision.
- Optic Nerve: The optic nerve is a long, thin cord of nerve fibers that connects the eye to the brain. This nerve transmits electrical impulses from the retina (the light-sensitive layer of tissue at the back of the eye) to the brain, where these impulses get turned into images. It consists of about 1.2 million individual nerve fibers. Each of these fibers is extremely thin, bundled together in a cylindrical shape. The optic nerve is about as thick as human hair.
- Oral Cavity: The oral cavity is a part of the human body that includes the teeth, tongue, gums, and lips. It’s responsible for many essential functions, such as:
- Chewing food
- Talking
- Swallowing
- Sucking and licking
- Orbicularis Oculi Muscle: Among the essential muscles of the human body, this muscle is responsible for controlling eye movements, visual perception, and other senses. It is located around the eyes and helps to control eye movement. Without this muscle, we would not be able to see correctly. Keeping the eyelids closed is also the responsibility of the orbicularis oculi muscle. This muscle is very strong and can provide a lot of force.
- Orbital Bone: The orbital bones are a set of bones that orbit the eye. They include the ethmoid bone, the frontal bone, the sphenoid bone, and the maxilla. These bones work together to protect and support the eye.
- Orbital Cavity: The orbital cavity is a bony structure that houses the eye and its associated structures. It lies in the middle of the face, behind the nose. The bony walls of the orbit protect the eye and help to keep it in place. The primary bones that make up the orbital cavity are the frontal, ethmoid, sphenoid, and maxillary bones.
- Organs: Organs are groups of tissues that work together to perform a specific function in the body. Some of the essential organs include the heart, lungs, brain, and liver. It is important to note that different organs consist of tissue types, including muscle tissue, nerve tissue, and epithelial tissue. And every kind of tissue is responsible for a specific function in the organ.
- Osteocyte: Osteocytes are the most common type of cell in bone. They are osteoblasts that have become trapped in the matrix they have secreted. Osteocytes are in contact with each other via gap junctions, which allow for the transfer of nutrients and minerals. This close-knit arrangement will enable osteocytes to regulate the activities of bone-forming osteoblasts and resorbing osteoclasts.
- Ovary: The ovaries are two small almond-shaped organs in the female reproductive system located on each side of the uterus. Ovarian ovaries are about the size and shape of large green olives, and they produce eggs (or ova) that travel through the fallopian tubes during ovulation. The ovaries also produce hormones, including estrogen and progesterone, which regulate the menstrual cycle and fertility.
- Overbite: Overbite is a dental term used to describe having too much vertical overlap of the upper front teeth covering the lower teeth. It is usually inherited and can fix with braces or surgery. An overbite can cause several problems, such as difficulty chewing food properly, tooth decay, gum disease, and even jaw pain. This can also lead to some cosmetic issues, such as an uneven smile, in some cases.
- Ovum: Ovum is a term used in the medical profession for the female reproductive cell, or egg. The ovum is produced in the ovarian follicles and gets released into the pelvis during ovulation. Ovarian follicles are structures that develop on the surface of an ovary. They contain a maturing egg, as well as supportive cells and fluid. Ovarian follicles grow until they reach a size of about 18-25 millimeters in diameter. At that point, one of the follicles will rupture and release its egg into the fallopian tubes. This process is called ovulation.
- Oxyhemoglobin: Oxyhemoglobin is a type of hemoglobin, the protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen. When oxygen binds to hemoglobin, it turns into oxyhemoglobin. This occurs because the oxygen molecules fit into the hemoglobin’s proteins, called heme groups. The binding of oxygen to these heme groups causes the hemoglobin to change shape, giving blood its reddish color. Although oxyhemoglobin makes up less than 5% of all the hemoglobin in our bodies, it plays a vital role in keeping us alive.
Conclusion
So there you have it – human body parts that start with O. Did any of these surprise you? We hope this list has provided some interesting facts and trivia about our amazing bodies. Be sure to share this post with your friends and family, and let us know if you think of any other body parts that start with O. As always, thanks for reading!