Anatomy Flashcards

Flashcards for anatomy lecture review.

Process

A prominent or projecting part of an organism or organic structure.

Spinous Process/Spine

A bony process of a vertebra that projects posteriorly from the neural arch and the junction of two laminae and provides attachment for muscles concerned especially with flexion, extension, rotation, and stability of the spinal column.

Alveolar Process

The bony ridge or raised thickened border of the upper jaw that contains the sockets of the teeth.

Tuberosity

A large prominence on a bone usually serving for the attachment of muscles or ligaments.

Articulation

A location where two or more bones meet; also called a joint.

Condyle

An articular prominence of a bone.

Head of a bone

A smooth part of the bone usually covered with cartilage, used for movement and connects to other bones.

Neck of a bone

Connects the head of the bone to the shaft on bones like the femur and humerus.

Shaft/Diaphysis

The main portion of a long bone that provides most of the bone's length.

Facet

Small, smooth, flat articular surface where a joint forms.

Fossa

A depressed area of a bone, usually long and shallow.

Sulcus

A groove or furrow on the surface of the bone.

Fontanelle

A membrane-covered gap between the skull of an infant or fetus.

Suture

A joint between two or more bones that are held together by fibrous tissue.

Foramen

A rounded opening or hole through a bone that provides a passageway for blood vessels and nerves.

Ligament

A dense band of connective tissue fibers that attaches one bone to another.

Tendon

A collagenous band that connects a skeletal muscle to an element of the skeleton.

Aponeurosis

A flat layer of connective tissue that links muscles to muscles, bones, and cartilage, providing body strength and stability.

Action (muscle)

The action of a muscle, which includes tightening and loosening, also described as contraction and relaxation.

Origin (muscle)

A point of attachment of a muscle; the end that is easily movable.

Origin (skeletal muscle)

In a skeletal muscle, the point of attachment that does not change position when the muscle contracts.

Agonist/Prime Mover

The muscle that provides the primary force driving the action.

Antagonist

A muscle that opposes the action of another muscle.

Synergist

A muscle that assists a prime mover in performing its primary action.

Synovial Joint

A freely movable joint where the opposing bone surfaces are separated by synovial fluid.

Extension

A movement that increases the angle of a joint, straightening it.

Flexion

A movement that decreases the angle of a joint.

Hyperextension

Extension of a body part past the anatomical position.

Circumduction

A circular movement of a limb or body part, achieved by combining flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction motions.

Abduction

Movement away from the longitudinal axis (midline) of the body in the frontal plane.

Adduction

Movement toward the midline of the body.

Lateral Rotation

A rotating movement away from the midline.

Medial Rotation

A rotational movement towards the midline.

Elevation

Upward movement of a body part.

Depression

Downward movement of a body part.

Supination

To turn your forearm, bringing your palms upwards- just as you would in supine position!

Pronation

To rotate your forearm, bringing your palm downwards- just as you would in prone position!

Dorsiflexion

Flexion of the foot in an upward direction using the ankle joint.

Plantar flexion

Downwards movement of the toes towards the sole of the foot.

Inversion

Occurs in the foot when the sole of the foot is moved towards the medial portion of the body.

Eversion

Occurs when the sole of the foot is facing laterally; the sole of the foot is turned outward away from the midline of the body.