ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Phenotypic integration

Have you ever played with a set of blocks where all of the blocks fit together and connect in different ways? Well, just like those blocks, some parts of our bodies are connected too. Phenotypic integration is when different parts of our body work together as a team to help us do things.

Think about your hands and fingers, for example. They are a great example of phenotypic integration! Your fingers work together to help you pick things up and hold them. They are all connected by joints and tendons, and they all work together to allow you to grip and release objects.

Another example of phenotypic integration is the way our eyes and brain work together. Our eyes send signals to our brain, telling us what we see. Without our eyes and brain working together, we wouldn’t be able to see the world around us.

Phenotypic integration is important because it allows us to do so many things! Without different parts of our body working together, we wouldn’t be able to walk, talk, eat, play, or do any of the things we enjoy. It’s amazing how many different parts of our bodies work together to allow us to do the things that we do every day!