Anatomy and Physiology

Vocabulary terms covering the basic definitions of anatomy and physiology, the six levels of organization, and the functions and components of the eleven human organ systems.

Anatomy

The study of the structures of the body.

Physiology

The study of the processes and functions of the body.

Chemical

cell

tissue

organ

organ system

organism

Six levels of organization for human body

Chemical Level

The level of organization that involves how atoms interact and combine into molecules.

Cell Level

The basic structural and functional units of organisms.

Tissue

A group of similar cells and the material surrounding them.

Organ

A structure composed of two or more tissue types that together perform one or more common functions.

Organ System

A group of organs classified as a unit because of a common function or set of functions.

Organism

A complex of organ systems that are mutually dependent upon one another.

Integumentary System

Provides protection, regulates temperature, prevents water loss, and helps produce vitamin D; consists of skin, hair, nails, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands.

Skeletal System

Provides protection and support, allows body movements, produces blood cells, and stores minerals and adipose tissue; consists of bones, associated cartilages, ligaments, and joints.

Muscular System

Produces body movements, maintains posture, and produces body heat; consists of muscles attached to the skeleton by tendons.

Nervous System

A fast-acting major regulatory system that detects sensations and controls movements, physiological processes, and intellectual functions; consists of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and sensory receptors.

Endocrine System

A slow-acting major regulatory system that influences metabolism, growth, and reproduction; consists of endocrine glands, such as the pituitary, that secrete hormones.

Cardiovascular System

Transports nutrients, waste products, gases, and hormones throughout the body, and plays a role in the immune response and regulation of body temperature; consists of the heart, blood vessels, and blood.

Lymphatic System

Removes foreign substances from the blood and lymph, combats disease, maintains tissue fluid balance, and absorbs dietary fats; consists of lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, and other lymphatic organs.

Respiratory System

Exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood and air and regulates blood pH; consists of the lungs and respiratory passages.

Digestive System

Performs mechanical and chemical processes of digestion, absorption of nutrients, and elimination of wastes; consists of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and accessory organs.

Urinary System

Removes waste products from the blood and regulates blood pH, ion balance, and water balance; consists of the kidneys, urinary bladder, and ureters.

Reproductive System

Produces oocytes for females and sperm cells for males for reproduction and hormones that influence sexual functions and behaviors; nurtures a developing fetus in females.

Integumentary

skeletal

muscular

nervous

endocrine

cardiovascular

lymphatic

respiratory

digestive

urinary

reproductive

11 organ systems of human body

Organization

metabolism

responsiveness

growth

development

reproduction

Six essential characteristics of life

Organization

Refers to specific relationship of the many individual parts of an organism

Metabolism

The ability to use energy to perform vital functions such as growth, movements, and reproduction

Responsiveness

The ability of an organism to sense changes in the environment and make the adjustments that help maintain its life

Growth

Refers to an increase in size of all or part of the organism

Development

Includes the changes and organism undergoes through time

Reproduction

The formation of new cells are new organism

Homeostasis

the condition in which body functions body fluids and other factors of the internal environment are maintained within a range of values suitable to support life

Negative feedback mechanism

regulates most system of the body; occurs when any deviation from the set points is made smaller or is resisted. it also produces counteracting responses

Positive feedback mechanism

Occurs when the initial stimulus for their stimulates the response. it also intensifies the variable

Anatomical position

refers to a person standing upright with the face directed forward, the upper limbs hanging to the sides, and the palms of the hands facing forward

Directional terms

Refers to the anatomical position regardless of the body’s structure of position

Right

Toward the body's right side

Left

Toward the body's left side

Inferior

Below

Superior

Above

Anterior or ventral

Toward the front of the body

Posterior or dorsal

Toward the back of the body

Proximal

Closer to a point of attachment

Distal

Farther from a point of attachment

Lateral

Away from the midline of the body

Medial

Toward the middle or midline of the body

Superficial

Toward or on the surface

Deep

Away from the surface, internal

Sagittal plane

median plane

transverse or horizontal plane

frontal or coronal plane

4 planes of the body

Sagittal plane

France vertically through the body and separates it into right and left parts

Median plane

A sagittal plane that passes through the midline of the body, dividing it into equal right and left halves

Transverse or horizontal plane

Runs parallel to the surface of ground, dividing the body into superior and inferior parts

Frontal or coronal plane

Runs vertically from right to left and divides the body into anterior and posterior parts

Longitudinal

transverse or cross section

oblique

3 sections of the body

Longitudinal

A cut along the length of the organ

Transverse or cross section

Cats completely through an organ, similar to cutting a hot dog into round pieces

Oblique

A cat is made diagonally across the long axis

Toresit cavity

abdominal cavity

pelvic cavity

3 track cavities of the body

Thoracic cavity

Surrounded by rib cage and is separated from the abdominal cavity by the muscular diaphragm

Abdominal cavity

Bounded primarily by abdominal muscles; contains stomach, intestines, liver, spleen, pancreas, and kidneys

Pelvic cavity

a small space enclosed by the bones of the pelvis; contains the urinary bladder, part of the large intestine, and the internal reproductive organs

Visceral and parietal

2 Serous Membranes of the body

Visceral

Membranes that are in contact with the organs

Parietal

Membranes that are in contact with the walls of the cavity

Cell

The basic living unit of all organisms; each cell is a highly organized unit

Organelle

Specialized structures in cells that perform specific functions

Cytoplasm

Jelly-like substance that holds organelles and is enclosed by cell membrane (aka plasma membrane)

Cell metabolism and energy use

synthesis of molecules

communication

reproduction and inheritance

4 Functions of the cells

Cell membrane or plasma membrane

it is the outermost component of the cell that forms a selective barrier between intracellular (materials inside the body) and extracellular substances (materials outside the body)

Polar region and nonpolar region

2 regions of phospholipids that forms a double layer

Polar region

“Heads” exposed to h2o (hydrophilic)

Nonpolar region

“Tails” away from h2o (hydrophobic)

Protein

float among the phospholipid molecules and in some extent from inner to the outer surface of cell membrane.

functions as membrane channels, carrier molecules, receptor molecules, enzymes, or structural supports in membrane

Cholesterol

Provide added strength and stability by limiting the amount of movement of phospholipids

Carbohydrates

Maybe bound to some CHON molecules, modifying their functions

Nucleus

Contains genetic material of cell (dna) and nucleoli

site of rna synthesis and ribosomal subunit assembly

Ribosomes

Site of protein synthesis

Rough endoplasmic reticulum

Has many ribosomes attached

site of protein synthesis

Smooth endoplasmic reticulum

Site of lipid synthesis and carbohydrates

participates in detoxification

Golgi apparatus

Modifies CHON structure and packages CHON in secretory vesicles

Secretory vesicle

Contains materials produced in cell

Formed by the golgi apparatus

secreted by exocytosis

Lysosome

Contains enzymes that digest material taken into the cell

Peroxisome

Breaks down fatty acids, amino acids, and hydrogen peroxide

Mitochondria

Site of aerobic respiration and the major site of atp synthesis

Microtubule

Support cytoplasm

assist in cell division and forms components of cilia and flagella

Centrioles

Facilitate the movement of chromosomes during cell division

Cilia

Located on cell surface that move substances over surfaces of certain cells

Flagella

Proper sperm cells

Microvilli

Increase surface area of certain cells

Passive membrane transport

Does not require the cell to expand energy. This includes diffusion, osmosis, and facilitated diffusion

Active membrane transport

does require the cell to expand energy usually in the form of atp. This includes active transport, secondary active transport endocytosis, and exocytosis

Diffusion

the movement of a solute from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration within a solvent. At equilibrium the distribution of molecules is uniform

Concentration gradient

the concentration of a solute at one point in a solvent minus the concentration of that solute at another point in the solvent divided by the distance between the points

Osmosis

The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane

Osmotic pressure

The force required to prevent movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane

Facilitated diffusion

This moves substance from a higher to lower concentration and does not require energy in the form of atp

Career-mediated transport

The movement of a substance across a membrane by means of a carrier molecule. The substance transported tend to be large, water-soluble molecules or ions

Active transport

Move substances from a lower to a higher concentration and requires atp

Secondary active transport

uses the energy of one substance moving down its concentration gradient to move another substance across the cell membrane. In co-transport both substances move in the same direction; in counter transport they move in opposite directions

Endocytosis

Movement of materials into cells by the formation of a vesicle

Receptor-mediated endocytosis

Involves the receptors attaching to molecules

Phagocytosis

Movement of solid material into cells (cell-eating)

Pinocytosis

The materials ingested is much smaller and is in solution (cell-drinking)