Is a hand an organ?

Question

I found from several sources a hand being called an organ, but I spoke to some people and they said it was not an organ but a limb. Can a hand be classified as an organ?

Answer 1

you actually have a very intersting question here! a hand it seems can very much be classified as an organ, as can a foot, finger or anything else, not just a limb. so sorry folks, but this is not simply a limb question lol

Encyclopædia Britannica Article:
The hand is a grasping organ at the end of the forelimb of certain vertebrates, exhibiting great mobility and flexibility in the digits and in the whole organ. It is made up of the wrist joint, the carpal bones, metacarpal bones, and phalanges.

Organs and Organ Systems
Organ systems are composed of varying numbers and types of organs. They act together to perform a necessary job for the body. Each organ in the organ system depends upon the others, and each organ system is closely related to the other organ systems. For example, in the musculoskeletal system the skeleton is responsible for allowing the body to move. But it cannot provide the movement itself; for that function it must rely on the muscles. Working together, they get the body from here to there. The musculoskeletal system also works with other organ systems. Within the bony safe of the long bones and pelvis lies the yellow bone marrow of the immune system and the red bone marrow of the blood system.

There are ten major organ systems: the integumentary system, skeletal system, muscular system, circulatory system, respiratory system, digestive system, nervous system, endocrine system, reproductive system, and urinary system.
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Answer 2

I've been thinking about your question for a while now, and I certainly see your Conundrum. An organ, apparently, is "a group of tissues, which perform a specific function or group of functions" (Wikipedia). By that defininition it seems to follow that, as a hand performs the function of interacting with the environment, it's an organ.

This, however, falls apart when you think about the constituents of the hand: skeleton, muscle, skin, connective tissue and nerve cells. The integumentary system (the skin with a few underlying layers) is, apparently a system. And the bones in your hands, well they're part of the skeletal system. The same applies for the nervous system. You can't really consider the hand to be a distinct organ, if it's made up from other organs. And, nor can you consider the hand to be a system, since its components are already classified into other systems.

Y'know what? I don't think, other than on a test, it matters too much. Humans like ways to classify things. It makes things nice, simple and predictible. Nature, through, wasn't meant to be classifed by humans. Does it really matter if a hand called an organ or a limb? Will it behave any differently, or be composed of cells in any differnt manner?

Answer 3

organs usually produce some special and unique activity- for example your pancreas produces insulin, your liver produces bile, your brain produces neuro electro activity, your heart pumps blood, your lungs excahnge CO2 and O2. . the hand is just muscles, tendons and bones. Its a muscu-skeletal limb and doesn't have any unique qualities.

There are probably some hand specialist in the ortopedic field that feel differently and would say the hand is unique- picking things up, opposing motions, etc.

Answer 4

I wouldn`t say a hand is an organ at all..it is a limb..

Answer 5

hand is a limb,
a liver is an organ

Answer 6

It is not an organ it is a limb.

Answer 7

wow, a hand is a limb your heart is an organ, your liver in an organ, your lungs are organs, c'mon dude pay attention in class dammit.

Answer 8

I think a hand would be considered an apendange.

Answer 9

no...its a limb

Answer 10

????? no a hand is a limb