PLTW HBS EOC vocab (from course glossary)

ABO System

A system of four types (A, AB, B, and O) which human blood is classified into, based on the presence or absence of certain antigens.

abstraction

The process of taking away or removing characteristics from something to reduce it to a set of essential characteristics.

accessory organs

The accessory organs of the digestive system aid in the digestion of our food, but are not a part of the long GI tube. These accessory organs include the teeth, tongue, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.

acquired immunity

Specific immune defense mechanisms. This form of immunity is acquired over a lifetime and uses antibodies to respond to specific antigens. There are two forms: 1. Active immunity: acquired as a result of infection and recovery or from a vaccine; your body makes its own antibodies. 2. Passive immunity: acquired from the mother; antibodies are given to a child through the placenta or through breast feeding.

actin

A contractile protein that is part of the thin filaments in muscle fibers.

action potential

A brief electrical impulse that travels along the axon of a neuron.

active ROM exercise

Exercises that are completed by the patient moving the limb or body part around the stiff joint without the help of their physical therapist.

adenine

A component of nucleic acids found in DNA and RNA and in the energy-carrying molecule, ATP. Adenine is a purine base.

adenosine tri-phosphate (ATP)

A compound composed of adenosine and three phosphate groups, which supplies energy for many biochemical cellular processes.

agglutination

The clumping of particles.

albumin

A protein made by your liver that plays an essential role in keeping the fluid in your blood from leaking into your tissues.

algor mortis

The change in body temperature after death.

algorithm

A procedure used for solving a problem or performing a computation.

allele

Any of the alternative forms of a gene that may occur at the same place on a chromosome, for example, the genes responsible for blood type that are found on chromosome 9.

altitude sickness

The body's physical reaction to difficulty adjusting to high altitudes. This is due to low oxygen pressure and symptoms can include nausea, dizziness, headaches, and shortness of breath.

amino acid

One of a group of compounds that, when linked in a chain with other amino acids, forms a protein.

anatomical planes

A hypothetical plane used to intersect the body, in order to describe the location of structures or the direction of movements.

anatomist

An expert in anatomy.

anemia

A condition in which blood is deficient in red blood cells or in functional red blood cells; leads to reduced oxygen levels in the body.

angiogram

A medical imaging technique used to visualize blood vessels; uses an imaging dye.

angioplasty

A surgical method to restore the flow of blood through an artery.

antibody

A protein produced by B cells in the blood; works to impair pathogens. Also called an immunoglobulin.

anticodon

A sequence of three nucleotides in a transfer RNA (tRNA) molecule. Complementary to a codon on messenger RNA (mRNA). Critical to protein synthesis, anticodons function in building an amino acid chain.

antigen

Anything that stimulates an immune response.

aorta

The largest artery in the body, the aorta carries oxygenated blood from the left ventricle of the heart to the rest of the body.

aortic valve

One of four valves in the heart, the aortic valve separates the left ventricle and the aorta, and functions to prevent blood from flowing back into the left ventricle.

app

A software application, especially one that a user downloads to a mobile device.

appendicular

Relating to an appendix or appendage, especially the limbs.

aqueous humor

The fluid that fills the space between the lens and the cornea.

arrhythmia

A problem with the rate or rhythm of your heartbeat.

artery

A type of vessel that carries blood from the heart through the body; part of the circulatory system.

articular cartilage

Hyaline cartilage attached to articular bone structures.

aseptic technique

The practice and/or process of preventing contamination.

atherosclerosis

The deposition of fats and/or cholesterol on artery walls, which negatively impacts blood flow.

atrioventricular node

Part of the heart's conduction system that is responsible for controlling the impulse delivered by the sinoatrial node (SA); also called the AV node.

atrium

An upper chamber of the heart where blood enters. The heart has two atria: the left atrium connects to the lungs and the right atrium connects to the veins.

attribute

Nonspatial information about a geographic feature in a geographic information system (GIS), usually stored in a table and linked to the feature by a unique identifier.

autopsy

A postmortem evaluation to determine cause of death.

autosome

A chromosome that is not directly involved in determining sex (such as chromosomes 1-22), as opposed to the sex chromosomes X and Y.

axial

Relating to or situated in the central part of the body, in the head and trunk as distinguished from the limbs, for example, axial skeleton.

axon

A long nerve cell process that usually conducts impulses away from the cell body.

axon terminals

The endings of axons; the location where axons make contact with other nerve or effector cells.

B lymphocyte (B cell)

A type of lymphocyte (white blood cell) that matures in bone marrow and produces antibodies.

bacillus

A rod-shaped (cylindrical) bacterium; plural is bacilli.

bacteria

A single-celled, prokaryotic microorganism.

benign

A tumor that is not cancerous; benign tumors are generally considered harmless.

bibliography

A document listing all sources used to research a given topic.

bile duct

A tube that carries bile—digestive fluid produced by the liver—from the liver and gallbladder, through the pancreas, into the small intestine.

bioactive compounds

Substances that have a biological effect, such as anticancer, antifungal, and antibacterial compounds.

bioassay

An experiment that uses living materials to detect substances and/or determine the potential toxicity of chemicals or contaminated areas. Bioassays are widely used to screen for potentially hazardous chemicals in contaminated soils, wastewater, foods, and other materials. A common example of a bioassay is the 'canary in the coal mine' experiment.

biodiversity

The variety of life on Earth.

biomarker

A measurable signal or predictor of disease or injury, such as protein or hormone level.

biomedical science

A professional field combining biology and medicine with a focus on healthcare.

biomimicry

Designing materials, structures, and systems that are modeled after living organisms or processes.

biomolecule

A large molecule, or macromolecule, produced by living organisms. Examples include: nucleic acids (DNA and RNA), carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids.

bioprospecting

The search for medicinal drugs and other valuable bioactive compounds from living things.

blind spot

The small circular area in the retina where the optic nerve enters the eye that is devoid of rods and cones and is insensitive to light.

blood plasma

The pale yellow, liquid portion of blood that consists of water and dissolved substances, including sugars, lipids, metabolic waste products, amino acids, hormones, and vitamins.

blood pressure

The pressure that blood exerts upon the walls of blood vessels, especially arteries, usually measured with a sphygmomanometer and expressed in millimeters of mercury.

body cavities

The cavities, or spaces, of the body, that contain the internal organs, or viscera.

body planes

Anatomical terms that refer to a coordinate system to describe an individual in the anatomical position.

brain stem

The part of the brain that is composed of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata and connecting the spinal cord with the forebrain and cerebrum.

calcified

A build-up of calcium in the tissue adding strength and rigidity.

callus

Fibrous tissues and cartilage that replace the blood clot at the fracture site.

calorie

The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1 gram of water by 1 °C; also the amount of heat energy that 1 gram of water releases when it cools by 1 °C.

cancer

A disease caused when cells divide uncontrollably and spread into surrounding tissue.

carbohydrate

A compound, such as sugar, starch and cellulose, found in foods and living tissues that can be broken down and used for energy.

cardiac muscle

Striated muscle fibers (cells) that form the wall of the heart; stimulated by the intrinsic conduction system and autonomic motor neurons.

cardiac output

A measure of how much blood is pumped by both ventricles in one minute.

cardiology

The field of study focused on the function and diseases of the heart.

cardiovascular system

The transport system of the body responsible for carrying oxygen and nutrients to the body and carrying away carbon dioxide and other wastes; composed of the heart, blood vessels, and blood.

cartilage

Flexible connective tissue that provides shape and support to various body parts and cushions bones, allowing for movement and flexibility.

cell

The smallest unit of life.

cell body

The central part of a neuron that contains the nucleus and is the main structural component of gray matter.

cell membrane

A semi-permeable membrane made of phospholipids that surrounds the cytoplasm of cells; found in all cell types.

central nervous system

The part of the nervous system which, in vertebrates, consists of the brain and spinal cord, to which sensory impulses are transmitted and from which motor impulses pass out, and which supervises and coordinates the activity of the entire nervous system.

centromere

The centralized region joining two sister chromatids.

cerebellum

A large dorsally projecting part of the brain concerned especially with the coordination of muscles and the maintenance of bodily equilibrium, situated between the brain stem and the back of the cerebrum and formed in humans of two lateral lobes and a median lobe.

cerebrum

The dorsal portion, composed of right and left hemispheres, of the vertebrate forebrain; the integrating center for memory, learning, emotions, and other highly complex function of the central nervous system.

chemical bond

An attractive force that holds together the atoms, ions, or groups of atoms in a molecule or compound.

chemical indicator

A substance that changes color depending on the properties (such as pH) of the solution being tested.

chemical reaction

A process where atoms and/or molecules are rearranged to transform matter.

cholesterol

A lipid that is an essential component of animal cell membranes and acts as a precursor molecule for the synthesis of other biologically important steroids.

chromatid

One half of a chromosome.

chromosome

Tightly coiled DNA that is found in the nuclei of cells.

chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE)

A progressive degeneration and/or death of nerve cells caused by repeated head injuries.

citation

A reference, written in a specified format, to a specific source of information (such as a book, article, dissertation, report, musical composition) by a particular author or creator.

clinical research

This branch of healthcare science determines the safety and effectiveness of medications, devices, diagnostic products, and treatment regimens intended for human use. These may be used for prevention, treatment, diagnosis, or for relieving symptoms of a disease.

clinical trials

A research study that determines the safety and effectiveness of medications, devices, diagnostic products, and treatment regimens intended for human use.

coccus

Any spherical, or generally round, bacterium; plural is cocci.

codon

A sequence of three nucleotides found in DNA or mRNA. Codons code for a specific amino acid or stop signal.

cognitive decline

The condition of having memory loss, reduced or slower thinking, or other impairment in mental capabilities due to aging.

compact bone

A solid and hard bone that makes up the outer layer of all bones and the shafts of long bones.

compound

A substance consisting of two or more elements in a fixed ratio.

compression force

Compression force (or compressive force) occurs when a physical force presses inward on an object, causing it to become compacted.

concussion

An injury to the head that causes the brain to quickly move back and forth, hitting the inside of the skull.

condyle

A smooth rounded protuberance at the end of a bone that articulates (meets up with) with another bone to allow for motion at a joint.

cone

Any of the conical photosensitive receptor cells of the vertebrate retina that function in color vision.

constraints

Restrictions that limit process design.

contagious

When a disease is transmissible by either direct or indirect contact.