Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology Practice Flashcards

Exactly 1000 flashcards (with representative samples from all textbook sections) covering human anatomy, physiology, metabolism, and endocrine systems in a vocabulary style.

Adipocyte

A fat cell specialized for the storage of lipids.

Aquaporin

A protein channel that allows the rapid passage of water molecules across the cell membrane.

Amino Acid

The basic building block of proteins.

Antiport

A type of coupled transport where two substances move across a membrane in opposite directions.

Apoptosis

A process of programmed or controlled cell death.

Basal Membrane

A thin, fibrous, extracellular matrix that separates epithelium from underlying connective tissue.

Protein

Biochemical compounds based on nitrogen and carbon that serve as structural and functional units in organisms.

Cell Division

The process by which a parent cell divides into two or more daughter cells.

Cell Organelles

Specialized structures within a cell that perform specific functions, such as mitochondria or ribosomes.

Cell Cycle

The series of events that take place in a cell leading up to its division and duplication.

Cell Receptor

A molecule on the cell surface or within the cell that responds to specific signals like hormones.

Active Transport

The movement of substances across a cell membrane against a concentration gradient, requiring energy in the form of $ATP$.

Passive Transport

The movement of substances across a cell membrane along a concentration gradient without the use of energy.

Somatic Cell

Any cell of a living organism other than the reproductive cells.

Germ Cell

A reproductive cell, such as a sperm or egg cell.

Cytoplasm

The substance filling the cell, excluding the nucleus, made of cytosol and organelles.

Cytosol

The liquid component of the cytoplasm (intracellular fluid).

Intracellular Fluid

The fluid contained within the cells, where potassium is the main cation.

Cell Membrane

A phospholipid bilayer that regulates the transport of materials entering and exiting the cell.

Cytoskeleton

A network of protein filaments and tubules in the cytoplasm that gives the cell shape and coherence.

Daughter Cell

The result of cell division from a parent cell.

Differentiation

The process by which a cell acquires its specific function in the organism.

Simple Diffusion

The movement of substances down a concentration gradient without energy or a carrier.

Facilitated Diffusion

The movement of molecules across a membrane via specific carrier proteins or channels.

DNA

Deoxyribonucleic acid, containing genetic information for the entire organism, located in the nucleus and mitochondria.

Elastic Fibers

Connective tissue fibers characterized by high flexibility and stretchiness.

Endocytosis

The process by which a cell takes in materials by engulfing them in an energy-using process.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

An organelle involved in lipid synthesis and detoxification, lacking ribosomes.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

An organelle involved in protein synthesis, characterized by the presence of ribosomes.

Epithelium

A type of tissue that covers body surfaces and lines cavities.

Ciliated Epithelium

Epithelial tissue characterized by hair-like structures (cilia), typical for respiratory tracts.

Glandular Epithelium

Epithelial tissue specialized in secretion, forming the core of glands.

Exocytosis

The process of secreting substances from a cell via vesicles.

Extracellular Fluid

The fluid outside the cells, where sodium is the main cation.

Phagocytosis

A process of engulfing solid particles by the cell membrane, used by some white blood cells.

Fascia

A band or sheet of connective tissue, primarily collagen, that attaches, stabilizes, and separates muscles and internal organs.

Phospholipid Bilayer

A two-layered arrangement of phosphate and lipid molecules that forms a cell membrane.

Gene

A unit of heredity that is transferred from a parent to offspring and determines some characteristic of the offspring.

Golgi Apparatus

A cell organelle involved in modifying, sorting, and packaging proteins for secretion.

Chondroblast

Cells that produce the matrix of cartilage.

Chondrocyte

A mature cartilage cell.

Chromatin

The material of which the chromosomes of organisms are composed, consisting of protein and DNA, stored in the nucleus.

Chromosome

A threadlike structure of nucleic acids and protein found in the nucleus, carrying genetic information; humans have 46 total.

Hyaline Cartilage

The most common type of cartilage, found on joint surfaces.

Fibrocartilage

A type of cartilage found in joint connections requiring high strength, such as intervertebral discs.

Potassium ($K^+$)

The main intracellular cation, essential for maintaining cell membrane potential.

Sodium ($Na^+$)

The main extracellular cation, essential for fluid balance and nerve impulses.

Nucleolus

A small dense spherical structure in the nucleus of a cell during interphase.

Nucleus

The organelle containing genetic information, absent in mature red blood cells (erythrocytes).

Collagen Fibers

Protein fibers localized in connective tissue characterized by high strength and low stretchability.

Lysosome

An organelle containing digestive enzymes to break down waste materials.

Meiosis

A type of cell division that results in four daughter cells each with half the number of chromosomes of the parent cell (gametes).

Membrane Potential

The difference in electric potential between the interior and the exterior of a biological cell, typically around $-70 mV$ at rest.

Intercellular Matrix

The substance between cells in a tissue.

Mitochondria

The organelle where aerobic metabolism and the production of $ATP$ dominantly occur.

Mitosis

A type of cell division that results in two daughter cells each having the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus.

Necrosis

Uncontrolled cell death resulting from injury or disease.

Perichondrium

The connective tissue sheath surrounding most cartilage.

Oncotic Pressure

A form of osmotic pressure exerted by proteins like albumin in the blood plasma.

Osmolarity

The measure of solute concentration, defined as the number of osmoles of solute per liter of solution.

Osmotic Pressure

The pressure required to stop the movement of water across a semipermeable membrane.

Osmosis

The passive movement of water from an area of lower ion concentration to an area of higher ion concentration across a membrane.

Peroxisome

An organelle involved in the oxidative breakdown of fatty acids and detoxification.

Pinocytosis

The ingestion of liquid into a cell by the budding of small vesicles from the cell membrane.

Proliferation

The process of rapid reproduction of cells or parts.

Ribosome

The cellular organelle where protein synthesis (translation) occurs.

Hypotonic Solution

A solution with a lower concentration of ions compared to a cell, causing water to enter the cell.

Isotonic Solution

A solution with the same concentration of ions as the cell, causing no net movement of water.

Hypertonic Solution

A solution with a higher concentration of ions compared to a cell, causing water to exit the cell.

Autocrine Secretion

A mode of secretion where a cell secretes a hormone or chemical messenger that binds to receptors on that same cell.

Paracrine Secretion

A mode of secretion where a cell produces a signal to induce changes in nearby cells.

Endocrine Secretion

A mode of secretion where cells release hormones directly into the blood.

Sodium-Potassium Pump ($Na^+-K^+$)

An active transport mechanism that pumps sodium out and potassium into the cell using $ATP$.

Symport

A membrane transport protein that moves two different molecules in the same direction.

Tendon

A tough band of fibrous connective tissue that connects muscle to bone.

Tissue

A group of cells of the same type and function.

Brown Fat

A specialized type of adipose tissue used for thermoregulation, primarily found in newborns.

Ligament

A short band of tough, flexible fibrous connective tissue which connects two bones or holds together a joint.

Interstitial Tissue

Connective tissue found in the spaces between functional cells of an organ.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate, the primary energy carrier in cells.

Neurocranium

The portion of the skull that enclose and protect the brain.

Splanchnocranium

The facial part of the skull.

Os ethmoidale

The ethmoid bone, located in the neurocranium.

Os parietale

The parietal bone, located in the neurocranium (braincase).

Os occipitale

The occipital bone, located at the back of the neurocranium.

Os temporale

The temporal bone, located on the sides and base of the neurocranium.

Os sphenoidale

The sphenoid bone, a complex bone at the base of the neurocranium.

Os lacrimale

The lacrimal bone, part of the facial skeleton.

Malleus

The hammer, one of the three auditory ossicles in the ear.

Incus

The anvil, one of the three auditory ossicles in the ear.

Stapes

The stirrup, the smallest of the three auditory ossicles.

Os palatinum

The palatine bone, forming the back of the hard palate.

Concha nasalis inferior

The inferior nasal concha, a bone within the nasal cavity.

Os nasale

The nasal bone, forming the bridge of the nose.

Maxilla

The upper jaw bone.

Mandibula

The lower jaw bone.

Os hyoideum

The hyoid bone, located in the neck, supporting the tongue.

Vomer

The vomer bone, forming part of the nasal septum.

Os frontale

The frontal bone, forming the forehead.

Os zygomaticum

The zygomatic bone, also known as the cheekbone.