Major organs of the human body and what they do
16 major organs and organ pairs. Lists of organs differ in what they count (bones, muscles, eyes and blood vessels are organs too); this one covers the main organs of the head, chest and belly, plus the skin.
Knowing where your organs are and what each one does makes sense of how food, air and blood move through you. It is the first map every doctor, nurse and biology student learns.
Your own body is a ready-made memory palace. Walk it from top to bottom: brain, then the thyroid and esophagus in the neck, the heart and lungs in the chest, the five organs of the upper belly, the kidneys at the back, the intestines and bladder low down, and the skin wrapped around it all. Touch each spot as you name it and say its job in a few words. Chunking by region keeps each stop to five or fewer.
Encode make it vivid → Space bring it back on day 1, 3, 7, 21 → Retrieve pull it from your head. From the infographic Remember It on Purpose.
Major organs of the human body and what they do
| Organ | Body system | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Brain | Nervous | Takes in signals from the senses, thinks and remembers, and sends commands to the muscles and glands. |
| Thyroid | Endocrine | A gland in the neck that makes hormones, using iodine from food, that help set how fast the body uses energy. |
| Esophagus | Digestive | A muscular tube that squeezes swallowed food down to the stomach. |
| Heart | Circulatory | A muscle that pumps blood through the blood vessels to every part of the body, day and night. |
| Lungs | Respiratory | Bring in oxygen from the air and pass it into the blood, and carry carbon dioxide back out. |
| Liver | Digestive | Makes bile for digesting fats, stores nutrients, and cleans harmful substances out of the blood. |
| Gallbladder | Digestive | Stores bile from the liver and squeezes it into the small intestine when you eat. |
| Stomach | Digestive | Churns food with acid and enzymes that start breaking down proteins, then lets it into the small intestine a little at a time. |
| Spleen | Lymphatic (immune) | Filters the blood, removes worn-out red blood cells, and helps fight germs. |
| Pancreas | Digestive and endocrine | Sends digestive juices to the small intestine, and makes insulin and glucagon to keep blood sugar steady. |
| Adrenal glands | Endocrine | Small glands on top of the kidneys that make hormones such as adrenaline (epinephrine) and cortisol. |
| Kidneys | Urinary | Filter waste and extra water out of the blood to make urine, and keep the body's salt and water in balance. |
| Small intestine | Digestive | Finishes breaking down food and absorbs most of its nutrients into the blood. |
| Large intestine | Digestive | Absorbs water and forms what is left into waste; helpful bacteria there make vitamin K. |
| Urinary bladder | Urinary | A stretchy bag that stores urine until you go to the bathroom. |
| Skin | Integumentary | Covers and protects the body, helps keep its temperature steady, and senses touch, heat and pain. |
Your own body is a ready-made memory palace. Walk it from top to bottom: brain, then the thyroid and esophagus in the neck, the heart and lungs in the chest, the five organs of the upper belly, the kidneys at the back, the intestines and bladder low down, and the skin wrapped around it all. Touch each spot as you name it and say its job in a few words. Chunking by region keeps each stop to five or fewer. · teddyrookbook.com/memory/challenges/human-organs/
Sources
- NIDDK (NIH): Your Digestive System and How It Works
- NCI SEER Training: Accessory organs (liver, gallbladder, pancreas)
- NCI SEER Training: Spleen
- NCI SEER Training: Introduction to the Urinary System
- NCI SEER Training: Thyroid and parathyroid glands
- NCI SEER Training: Adrenal gland
- NCI SEER Training: Introduction to the Respiratory System
- NCI SEER Training: Introduction to the Cardiovascular System
- NCI SEER Training: Introduction to the Nervous System
- NCI SEER Training: Anatomy of the Skin
Checked October 30, 2026. Progress is kept on this device only (per learner). More lists: all memory challenges · memory games.