Anatomy and Physiology: Skeletal, Nervous, and Digestive Systems

A comprehensive set of vocabulary flashcards covering the skeletal, nervous, and digestive systems based on lecture notes, including anatomy identification and physiological processes.

Skeletal System Functions

The six key roles of the skeleton: support, protection, assistance in movement, mineral homeostasis (storing calcium and phosphorus), blood cell production (hemopoiesis), and triglyceride storage (yellow marrow).

Tendon

A band of connective tissue that attaches a muscle to a bone.

Ligaments

Connective tissues that attach bone to bone.

Hyaline cartilage

The specific type of cartilage associated with bone function and development.

Collagen in Bone

The organic component responsible for the flexibility of the bone.

Hydroxyapatite

The mineral component in bone that determines its compressive strength and hardness.

Osteocyte

The cell type responsible for maintaining bone once it has been fully formed.

Periosteum

The membrane covering the outer surface of a bone.

Compact bone

A type of bone tissue characterized by being dense.

Spongy (cancellous) bone

A type of bone tissue that appears porous.

Long Bone Examples

Bones such as the humerus, femur, radius, ulna, tibia, or fibula.

Diaphysis

The shaft or long main portion of a bone.

Red Marrow

Specialized tissue in long bones responsible for blood cell production (hematopoiesis).

Articular cartilage

A layer of hyaline cartilage that covers the ends of long bones.

Fontanels

The unossified spaces between developing skull bones in infants.

Epiphyseal Plate (X-ray Appearance)

A black or radiolucent area in the region of the epiphyseal plate indicating the bone is still growing in length.

Bone Remodeling

The process where bones adjust to stress/exercise, undergo repair, and maintain blood calcium homeostasis.

Bone Repair Sequence

1. Hematoma formation $\rightarrow$ 2. Fibrocartilaginous (soft) callus formation $\rightarrow$ 3. Bony (hard) callus formation $\rightarrow$ 4. Bone remodeling.

Appendicular Skeleton

The part of the skeleton consisting of the upper and lower limbs, the pectoral (shoulder) girdle, and the pelvic girdle.

Axial Skeleton

The part of the skeleton that includes the vertebral column.

Cranial Nerves

There are 12 pairs of these nerves which emerge from the brain.

Spinal Nerves

There are 31 pairs of these nerves which emerge from the spinal cord.

Sensory (afferent) Division

The part of the peripheral nervous system that conveys action potentials from sensory receptors into the central nervous system (CNS).

Motor (efferent) Division

The part of the peripheral nervous system that transmits action potentials from the central nervous system (CNS) to effector organs like muscles and glands.

Central Nervous System (CNS)

The division of the nervous system consisting of the brain and spinal cord.

Dendrites

Neuronal structures that receive input and electrical signals from other neurons and conduct them toward the cell body.

Blood-brain barrier

A protective barrier that strictly regulates which substances can pass from the bloodstream into the brain tissue.

White matter

Nervous tissue composed primarily of myelinated axons.

Depolarization

A rapid influx (inflow) of sodium ions ($Na^+$) across the nerve cell membrane.

All-or-none Principle

The principle that a stimulus either causes a full action potential or does not cause one at all.

Repolarization

The restoration of the resting membrane potential (inside becomes negative) due largely to potassium ($K^+$) outflow.

Chemical Synapse

A junction involving the release of neurotransmitters from a presynaptic terminal across a synaptic cleft to bind to receptors on a postsynaptic membrane.

Synapse

The functional junction between two neurons.

Mastication

The mechanical process of chewing food.

Chyme

The semiliquid mixture of food and gastric juices formed in the stomach.

Gallbladder

The organ responsible for storing and concentrating bile until needed for digestion.

Bile (Function)

To emulsify fats by breaking large lipid droplets into smaller ones to aid lipase action.

Large Intestine Sequence

The order of structures from the small intestine to the rectum: Cecum $\rightarrow$ Ascending colon $\rightarrow$ Transverse colon $\rightarrow$ Descending colon $\rightarrow$ Sigmoid colon.

Pancreatic Juice

A digestive juice containing enzymes capable of digesting all major food groups.

Small Intestine

The primary site in the digestive system where most nutrient absorption occurs.

Radius

The bone of the upper limb located on the thumb side.

Patella

The bone commonly known as the knee cap.

Tibia

The bone commonly known as the shin bone.

Soma

The cell body of a neuron.

Node of Ranvier

The periodic gaps in the myelin sheath of an axon.