An organ was a group of tissues of a lifeform that performed a specific function or group of functions. Healthy organs are required to sustain the life of a being – organ failure, such as that brought on by an accelerated rate of cell decay, would ultimately result in death. (DS9: "The Storyteller") Those organs which were necessary for survival were classified as "vital organs". (TOS: "Return to Tomorrow") Alternatively, organs which were presented in numbers beyond that which was strictly necessary for survival were called redundant organs. (ENT: "The Communicator", TNG: "Ethics", VOY: "Lineage", et al.) Organs found on the inside of one's body were known as internal organs. (TOS: "The Omega Glory" et. al.)
Apollo had an extra organ in his chest with a function that was unclear to Doctor McCoy, though Captain Kirk hypothesized it allowed Apollo to access and wield a powerful field of energy. (TOS: "Who Mourns for Adonais?")
Some members of the Zalkonian species had the ability to regenerate damaged organs. The injured Zalkonian referred to as "John Doe" was able to regenerate most of his damaged organs in less than thirty-six hours while in an emergency bio-support unit in sickbay aboard the USS Enterprise-D. (TNG: "Transfigurations")
Takarans had a very unusual anatomy and physiology in which their internal organs were not as distinct as those of most humanoids – their organ systems were equally distributed throughout the body, making them resistant to most injuries. (TNG: "Suspicions")
The Phage, a disease that afflicted the Vidiians, devoured the organs and tissues of those it infected. Many Vidiians survived in the short term by making extensive use of transplantation and organ piracy, sometimes using bio-probes to steal healthy organs from those unaffected by the disease. (VOY: "Phage")
While in a telepathically-induced coma in 2371, Doctor Bashir imagined that he was experiencing accelerated aging. In this reality, Quark was taking wagers at his bar on things such as which of Bashir's organs would fail first or when he would end up dying. (DS9: "Distant Voices")
In 2372, newly created Tuvix claimed to have been " poked and prodded in organs that I didn't even know I had." (VOY: "Tuvix")
Types
Animal
- Bones of the skeletal system
- Brain
- Ear
- Eye
- Hair
- Heart
- Gallbladder
- Intestines
- Kidney
- Liver
- Lungs
- Pancreas
- Sexual organ
- Skin
- Stomach
- Tongue
- Tonsil
Plant
See also
- Internal organ regenerator
- Synthetic organ