BIO 2111 - Anatomy & Physiology 1: Body Regions, Homeostasis, and Terminology

Vocabulary flashcards covering foundational concepts in Anatomy & Physiology 1, including learning principles, homeostasis, organ systems, directional terms, planes, cavities, and surface anatomy landmarks.

Negative feedback

A control mechanism in which an adjustment is made to counteract and offset the original change in order to maintain homeostasis.

Positive feedback

A control mechanism in which an adjustment is made to exaggerate and accelerate the original change to elicit a long-term change in body condition.

Dunning-Kruger effect

A cognitive phenomenon where learners experience an initial spike in confidence, followed by a decline in confidence as they realize the complexity of a subject ('pit of despair'), before gradually building true knowledge and confidence.

Bloom's Taxonomy

A hierarchical framework of cognitive learning levels ranging from basic recall of facts (remember) up to generating original work (create).

Integumentary System

An organ system consisting of skin, hair, sweat glands, and nails that protects against environmental hazards, regulates body temperature, and provides sensory information.

Skeletal System

An organ system consisting of bones, cartilages, associated ligaments, and bone marrow that provides support and protection for other tissues, stores minerals, and forms blood cells.

Muscular System

An organ system consisting of skeletal muscles and associated tendons that provides movement, offers protection and support, and generates heat to maintain body temperature.

Nervous System

An organ system consisting of the brain, spinal cord, peripheral nerves, and sense organs that directs immediate responses to stimuli and coordinates or moderates activities of other organ systems.

Endocrine System

An organ system consisting of glands such as the pituitary, thyroid, adrenal, pancreas, and gonads that directs long-term changes in other organ systems and adjusts metabolic activity.

Cardiovascular System

An organ system consisting of the heart, blood, and blood vessels that distributes blood cells, water, nutrients, waste products, oxygen, carbon dioxide, and heat.

Lymphatic System

An organ system consisting of the spleen, thymus, lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, and tonsils that defends against infection and disease and returns tissue fluids to the bloodstream.

Respiratory System

An organ system consisting of nasal cavities, sinuses, larynx, trachea, bronchi, lungs, and alveoli that delivers air to gas exchange sites, provides oxygen, removes carbon dioxide, and produces sound.

Digestive System

An organ system consisting of teeth, tongue, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small/large intestines, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas that processes food, absorbs nutrients and water, and stores energy reserves.

Urinary System

An organ system consisting of kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, and urethra that excretes waste products from blood, controls water balance, and regulates blood ion concentrations and pH.

Male Reproductive System

An organ system consisting of testes, epididymides, ductus deferentia, seminal vesicles, prostate gland, penis, and scrotum that produces male sex cells (sperm), seminal fluids, and hormones.

Female Reproductive System

An organ system consisting of ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus, vagina, labia, clitoris, and mammary glands that produces female sex cells (oocytes) and hormones, supports embryo development, and provides milk.

Surface Anatomy Landmarks

Standard anatomical terms denoting anatomical features and regions visible on the surface of the human body.

Anatomical Directional Terms

Descriptive orientation terms (such as superior, inferior, anterior, posterior, medial, lateral, proximal, distal) used to indicate the relative position of body parts.

Superior

Directional term meaning above, at a higher level in the human body, or toward the head.

Inferior

Directional term meaning below, at a lower level, or toward the feet.

Anterior (Ventral)

Directional term referring to the front surface or belly side of the body.

Posterior (Dorsal)

Directional term referring to the back surface or back of the body.

Medial

Directional term meaning toward the midline of the body.

Lateral

Directional term meaning away from the midline of the body.

Proximal

Directional term meaning toward an attached base or point of origin.

Distal

Directional term meaning away from an attached base or point of origin.

Superficial

Directional term meaning at, near, or relatively close to the body surface.

Deep

Directional term meaning toward the interior of the body and farther from the surface.

Frontal plane

An anatomical plane oriented parallel to the long axis that separates anterior and posterior portions of the body; also called coronal plane.

Sagittal plane

An anatomical plane oriented parallel to the long axis that separates right and left portions of the body.

Midsagittal plane

A sagittal section that passes directly through the midline, dividing the body into equal right and left halves.

Parasagittal plane

A sagittal section that misses the midline, dividing the body into unequal right and left portions.

Transverse plane

An anatomical plane oriented perpendicular to the long axis that separates superior and inferior portions of the body; also called horizontal plane or cross section.

Anatomical Planes

Reference planes—frontal, sagittal, and transverse—used to slice or section the human body for anatomical analysis.

Body Cavities

Internal spaces in the body (such as dorsal, cranial, spinal, ventral, thoracic, and abdominopelvic cavities) that protect internal organs and allow them to change size and shape.

Parietal peritoneum

The portion of the serous membrane (peritoneum) that lines the outer wall of the abdominopelvic cavity.

Visceral peritoneum

The portion of the serous membrane (peritoneum) that directly covers the surface of the internal organs (viscera) within the abdominopelvic cavity.

Abdominopelvic Regions and Quadrants

Grids dividing the abdominopelvic cavity into four quadrants (RUQ, LUQ, RLQ, LLQ) or nine precise regions to categorize organ positions and clinical symptoms.

Antecubital

Anatomical term for the front of the elbow.

Olecranal

Anatomical term for the back of the elbow.

Axillary

Anatomical term for the armpit.

Popliteal

Anatomical term for the back of the knee.

Sural

Anatomical term for the calf.