ch 1 - intro to A & P

anatomy

branch of science dealing with the forms and structure of body parts

physiology

the study of body functions

metabolism

all chemical changes within cells considered together

homeostasis

a state of balance in which the body’s internal environment remains in the normal range

receptors

provide information about stimuli in the internal environment

set point

tells what a particular value should be (body temp)

affectors

causes responses that alter conditions in the internal environment

negative feedback mechanism

activated by an imbalance that corrects

macromolecules

large molecules that are created by combining small molecules in complex ways

axial

pertaining to the head, neck, and trunk

appendicular

pertaining to upper and lower limbs

dorsal

pertaining to the back surface of a body part

ventral

pertaining to the front surface of the body

thoracic

pertaining to the chest

diaphragm

a sheetlike structure largely composed of skeletal muscle and connective tissue that separates thoracic and abdominal cavities

mediastinum

tissues and organs of the thoracic cavity that form a septum between the lungs

parietal

pertaining to the wall of a cavity

visceral

pertaining to the contents of a body cavity (outer lining of an organ)

anatomical position

body is standing erect, face forward with upper limbs at the sides and palms forwards

sagittal

a plane or section that is a lengthwise cut dividing a structure into right and left portions

transverse

horizontal cut that divides the body into superior and inferior

coronal

frontal cut to a section that divides a body into anterior and posterior

superior

the body part is above another body part or is closer to the head

inferior

the body part is below another body part or is close to the feet

anterior (ventral)

means toward the front

posterior (dorsal)

means toward the back

medial

relates to an imaginary mid-line dividing the body into equal right and left halves

lateral

toward the side with respect to the imaginary midline

proximal

a body part that is closer to a point of attachment than another body part

distal

the opposite of proximal; a particular body part is farther from a point of attachment than another body part

superficial

situated near the surface

peripheral

means outward or near the surface

deep

parts that are more internal