Anatomy Chapter 1

Anatomy

The study of the structure of body parts and their relationships.

Physiology

The study of the function of body parts and how they work.

Complementarity of Structure and Function

Function always reflects structure; what a structure can do depends on its form.

Levels of Structural Organization

Chemical, cellular, tissue, organ, organ system, and organismal.

Eight Necessary Life Functions

Maintaining boundaries, movement, responsiveness, digestion, metabolism, excretion, reproduction, and growth.

Five Survival Needs

Nutrients, oxygen, water, normal body temperature, and appropriate atmospheric pressure.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of relatively stable internal conditions despite continuous environmental changes.

Homeostatic Control Components

Receptor, control center, and effector.

Negative Feedback

A mechanism where the response reduces or shuts off the original stimulus.

Positive Feedback

A mechanism where the response enhances or exaggerates the original stimulus.

Standard Anatomical Position

Body erect, feet slightly apart, palms facing forward with thumbs pointing away.

Superior

above or toward the head

Proximal

closer to the limb attachment point

Axial

head, neck, trunk

Three Main Body Planes

Sagittal, frontal (coronal), and transverse (horizontal) planes.

Dorsal Body Cavity Subdivisions

Cranial cavity (encases brain) and vertebral cavity (encases spinal cord).

Ventral Body Cavity Subdivisions

Thoracic cavity and abdominopelvic cavity, separated by the diaphragm.

parietal serosa

Parietal lines internal body walls

Visceral Serosa

covers internal organs.

appendicular skeleton

the limbs and pelvic girdle

Distal

farther away from the trunk

inferior

below or toward the feet

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical reactions that occur within the body.

Anabolism

The building up of complex molecules from simpler ones, which requires energy.

Catabolism

The breakdown of complex molecules into simpler ones, which releases energy.

Four Primary Tissue Types

Epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous tissue.

Anterior (Ventral)

Toward or at the front of the body.

Posterior (Dorsal)

Toward or at the back of the body.

Serous Fluid

A thin lubricating fluid secreted by both layers of serous membranes to reduce friction.

Medial

Toward or at the midline of the body.

Lateral

Away from the midline of the body.

Superficial

Toward or at the body surface.

Deep

Away from the body surface; more internal.

Homeostatic Imbalance

A disturbance of homeostasis that increases the risk of disease.

Integumentary System

Forms the external body covering and protects deeper tissues from injury.

Skeletal System

Protects and supports body organs and provides a framework for muscle attachment.

Muscular System

Allows manipulation of the environment, locomotion, facial expression, and produces heat.

Nervous System

The fast-acting control system of the body that responds to internal and external changes.

Endocrine System

Glands secrete hormones that regulate processes such as growth, reproduction, and nutrient use.

Cardiovascular System

Blood vessels transport blood carrying oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and wastes.

Lymphatic System

Picks up fluid leaked from blood vessels, disposes of debris, and houses white blood cells involved in immunity.

Respiratory System

Keeps blood constantly supplied with oxygen and removes carbon dioxide through the lungs.

Digestive System

Breaks down food into absorbable units that enter the blood for distribution to body cells.

Urinary System

Eliminates nitrogenous wastes from the body and regulates water, electrolyte, and acid-base balance.

Reproductive System

Produces offspring, with male and female organs specialized for producing gametes and sex hormones.

Serous Membrane

A thin, double-layered membrane that covers the walls and organs in the ventral body cavity.

Mitochondria

The organelle that produces ATP to supply cellular energy.

Plasma Membrane

A selectively permeable phospholipid bilayer enclosing the cell contents.

Diffusion

The passive movement of molecules from high to low concentration.

Osmosis

The diffusion of water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Active Transport

Membrane transport that requires energy (ATP) to move substances against their concentration gradient.

Neuron

The structural and functional cell of the nervous system specialized for transmitting electrical impulses.

Abdominopelvic Quadrants

Four divisions of the abdominopelvic cavity: right upper, left upper, right lower, and left lower quadrants.

Abdominopelvic Regions

Nine specific divisions of the abdominopelvic cavity used to precisely locate internal organs.

Epigastric Region

The superior median abdominopelvic region, located between the right and left hypochondriac regions.

Umbilical Region

The centermost region of the nine abdominopelvic regions, surrounding the umbilicus.

Hypogastric (Pubic) Region

The inferior median abdominopelvic region located directly below the umbilical region.

Right and Left Iliac (Inguinal) Regions

The lateral regions located in the lower row of the nine abdominopelvic divisions.

Pleural Cavities

Two fluid-filled thoracic sub-cavities that each encase a lung.

Pericardial Cavity

The fluid-filled cavity within the mediastinum that encloses the heart.