Comprehensive Anatomy & Physiology Vocabulary

120 vocabulary flashcards covering respiratory, cardiovascular, nervous, digestive, muscular, reproductive, and integumentary systems as presented in the lecture transcript.

Trachea

Cylindrical airway supported by cartilage rings that conducts air from the larynx to the primary bronchi.

Cartilage Rings (of trachea)

C-shaped hyaline cartilage structures that keep the tracheal lumen open.

Primary Bronchi

First branches of the trachea; each enters a lung.

Lobe (of lung)

Anatomical subdivision of a lung; 3 on the right, 2 on the left.

Cardiac Notch

Indentation on the left lung that accommodates the heart.

Secondary Bronchi

Branches of primary bronchi that supply individual lung lobes.

Tertiary Bronchi

Smaller airway branches that supply bronchopulmonary segments.

Bronchioles

Airways <1 mm in diameter that lack cartilage.

Terminal Bronchioles

Final portion of the conducting zone; lead to respiratory bronchioles.

Respiratory Bronchioles

First airway segment in the respiratory zone where gas exchange begins.

Alveolar Duct

Small passage linking respiratory bronchioles to clusters of alveoli.

Alveolar Sac

Grape-like cluster of alveoli at the end of an alveolar duct.

Alveoli

Microscopic air sacs where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged with blood.

Conducting Zone

Airway passages (trachea to terminal bronchioles) that move, warm, and filter air but perform no gas exchange.

Respiratory Zone

Airway portions (respiratory bronchioles, ducts, alveoli) where gas exchange occurs.

Anatomical Dead Space

Volume of the conducting zone where no gas exchange takes place.

Gas Exchange

Diffusion of O₂ into blood and CO₂ out of blood across alveolar membranes.

Diaphragm

Dome-shaped skeletal muscle that drives inspiration by flattening downward.

Intercostal Muscles

Muscles between ribs that elevate or depress the rib cage during breathing.

Inspiration

Active process of drawing air into the lungs.

Expiration

Process of expelling air from the lungs; passive at rest, active when forced.

Ventilation

Movement of air in and out of the lungs.

Perfusion

Flow of blood through pulmonary capillaries for gas exchange.

Hypoventilation

Inadequate ventilation leading to hypercapnia and hypoxia.

Hyperventilation

Excessive ventilation causing hypocapnia and respiratory alkalosis.

Hypercapnia

Elevated blood CO₂ concentration.

Hypocapnia

Abnormally low blood CO₂ level.

Hypoxia

Deficient oxygen levels in tissues or blood.

Respiratory Alkalosis

Blood pH increase due to low CO₂ from hyperventilation.

Hemoglobin

Iron-containing protein in red blood cells that carries O₂ and gives blood its red color.

Arteries

Blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart; usually oxygenated.

Veins

Vessels that return blood to the heart; usually deoxygenated.

Capillaries

Microscopic vessels where exchange of gases, nutrients, and wastes occurs between blood and tissues.

Pulmonary Circulation

Circuit where pulmonary arteries carry deoxygenated blood to lungs and pulmonary veins return oxygenated blood to heart.

Right Atrium

Heart chamber that receives deoxygenated blood from the venae cavae.

Right Ventricle

Pumps deoxygenated blood into the pulmonary artery.

Left Atrium

Receives oxygenated blood from pulmonary veins.

Left Ventricle

Pumps oxygenated blood into the aorta for systemic circulation.

Tricuspid Valve

Valve between right atrium and right ventricle.

Mitral (Bicuspid) Valve

Valve between left atrium and left ventricle.

Pulmonary Valve

Valve between right ventricle and pulmonary artery.

Aortic Valve

Valve between left ventricle and aorta.

Sinoatrial (SA) Node

Primary pacemaker of the heart located in right atrium; sets rhythm 60–100 bpm.

Atrioventricular (AV) Node

Secondary pacemaker that delays impulse before ventricles; 40–60 bpm.

Bundle of His

High-speed conduction fibers transmitting impulses from AV node to bundle branches.

Purkinje Fibers

Terminal conduction fibers that depolarize ventricular muscle.

QRS Complex

ECG waveform representing ventricular depolarization.

P Wave

ECG deflection indicating atrial depolarization.

T Wave

ECG deflection indicating ventricular repolarization.

Systolic Pressure

Peak arterial pressure during ventricular contraction.

Diastolic Pressure

Lowest arterial pressure during ventricular relaxation.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

Brain and spinal cord; primary processing center.

Peripheral Nervous System (PNS)

All neural tissue outside CNS; carries sensory input to CNS and motor output away.

Hindbrain

Brain region including medulla, pons, and cerebellum.

Medulla Oblongata

Hindbrain structure regulating heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing.

Pons

Hindbrain bridge relaying information and helping regulate breathing and sleep.

Cerebellum

Hindbrain structure coordinating balance and fine movement.

Midbrain

Brain region controlling eye movement, reflexes, alertness, and part of sleep–wake cycle.

Forebrain

Largest brain division containing cerebrum and related structures.

Cerebral Cortex

Outer gray matter layer of cerebrum where conscious processing occurs.

Gray Matter

Brain tissue composed mainly of neuron cell bodies and synapses.

White Matter

Brain tissue made of myelinated axons that transmit signals.

Limbic System

Forebrain structures governing emotion and memory.

Sympathetic Nervous System

Autonomic division that mediates fight-or-flight responses.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

Autonomic division that promotes rest-and-digest functions.

Neuron

Excitable cell that transmits electrical signals.

Glial Cell

Supportive nervous-system cell that nourishes neurons and may insulate, protect, or assist them.

Afferent Neuron

Sensory neuron carrying impulses toward CNS.

Efferent Neuron

Motor neuron carrying impulses away from CNS to effectors.

Ingestion

Intake of food into the mouth.

Digestion

Mechanical and chemical breakdown of food into absorbable molecules.

Absorption

Uptake of digested nutrients into blood or lymph.

Elimination

Removal of indigestible residues from the body as feces.

Peristalsis

Wave-like contractions of smooth muscle that propel food through digestive tract.

Chyme

Semi-liquid mixture of food and gastric juices in the stomach.

Duodenum

First portion of small intestine; site of most chemical digestion.

Jejunum

Middle small-intestine segment; primary site of nutrient absorption.

Ileum

Final small-intestine segment; absorbs vitamin B12, bile salts, fat-soluble vitamins.

Ascending Colon

First portion of large intestine where water absorption begins.

Transverse Colon

Middle colon segment that stores and transports fecal material.

Descending Colon

Colon segment that moves solidifying waste downward to rectum.

Bile

Liver-produced, gallbladder-stored fluid that emulsifies fats in the small intestine.

Insulin

Pancreatic hormone that lowers blood glucose by enhancing cellular uptake and glycogen storage.

Glucagon

Pancreatic hormone that raises blood glucose by stimulating glycogen breakdown.

Cardiac Muscle

Striated, branched, involuntary muscle of the heart.

Smooth Muscle

Non-striated, involuntary muscle in vessel walls and organs.

Skeletal Muscle

Striated, voluntary muscle attached to bones for body movement.

Sarcomere

Contractile unit of a myofibril bounded by Z-lines.

Actin

Protein forming thin filaments in sarcomeres.

Myosin

Motor protein forming thick filaments that pull actin during contraction.

Sliding Filament Model

Mechanism where actin and myosin filaments slide past each other to shorten sarcomeres.

Testes

Male gonads producing sperm and testosterone.

Ovaries

Female gonads producing ova, estrogen, and progesterone.

Seminiferous Tubules

Coiled testicular tubes where spermatogenesis occurs.

Epididymis

Coiled duct on testis surface where sperm mature and are stored.

Vas Deferens

Duct that transports sperm from epididymis to ejaculatory duct.

Seminal Vesicle

Accessory gland producing nutrient-rich semen that enhances sperm motility.

Prostate Gland

Gland surrounding urethra that secretes fluid activating sperm.

Follicle (Ovarian)

Structure enclosing an immature oocyte; matures and releases egg during ovulation.

Fallopian Tube

Duct through which ovulated egg travels; usual site of fertilization.