Anatomy and Physiology: Body Planes, Cavities, and Homeostasis

Comprehensive flashcards covering anatomical directions, body planes, cavities, serous membranes, and the mechanisms of homeostatic regulation including feedback loops.

What does the term 'inferior' mean in anatomical terminology?

Away from the head, such as how the knees are inferior to the hips.

How does the Sagittal Plane divide the body?

It divides the body into right and left parts.

Which body plane divides the body into anterior and posterior parts?

The Frontal (Coronal) Plane.

How does the Transverse (Horizontal) Plane divide the body?

It divides the body into superior and inferior parts.

What is the difference between 'proximal' and 'distal' regarding limb attachment?

'Proximal' means closer to the point of attachment to the body trunk (e.g., the elbow is proximal to the wrist), while 'distal' means farther from the point of attachment (e.g., the fingers are distal to the elbow).

What are the primary functions of body cavities?

They house and protect internal organs from shock and impact, and allow organs to change shape and size as they function.

What does the Dorsal Body Cavity protect?

The nervous system.

What are the two divisions of the Dorsal Body Cavity?

The Cranial Cavity (encasing the brain) and the Vertebral (Spinal) Cavity (encasing the spinal cord).

What is the Ventral Body Cavity?

A cavity that houses internal organs, also known as viscera.

Identify the components of the Thoracic Cavity.

It contains the Pleural Cavities (each housing a lung) and the Mediastinum (containing the pericardial cavity and surrounding remaining thoracic organs).

What organs are found in the Abdominopelvic Cavity?

The Abdominal Cavity contains digestive organs and kidneys, while the Pelvic Cavity contains the bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum.

Contrast Parietal Serosa and Visceral Serosa.

Parietal Serosa lines internal body walls, whereas Visceral Serosa covers the internal organs.

What is the role of Serous Fluid?

It lubricates the space between the parietal and visceral layers, allowing organs to move smoothly.

Define Homeostasis.

The existence of a stable internal environment, which is essential for survival.

What is Autoregulation (Intrinsic Regulation)?

A process where a cell, tissue, or organ adjusts its activities automatically in response to environmental change, such as blood vessels dilating when oxygen levels decrease.

What is Extrinsic Regulation?

Homeostatic regulation involving the nervous system or endocrine system, such as the nervous system increasing heart rate during exercise.

Identify the three components of homeostatic regulation.

1. Receptor: Detects changes (stimuli). 2. Control Center: Processes information and sends commands. 3. Effector: Responds to oppose or enhance the stimulus.

How does Negative Feedback function in homeostatic regulation?

It opposes changes to maintain stability and keep conditions within a normal range, such as in thermoregulation.

How does Positive Feedback function?

It enhances changes to drive processes to completion, such as the acceleration of blood clotting when a vessel is damaged.

In thermoregulation, what are the receptors and what is the control center?

The receptors are temperature sensors in the skin and hypothalamus; the control center is the hypothalamus.

Describe the effectors and their response when body temperature rises.

The effectors are sweat glands and blood vessels; sweat glands activate and blood vessels dilate to release heat.

How do insulin and glucagon regulate blood glucose?

Insulin lowers blood glucose by promoting uptake into cells; glucagon raises it by stimulating glycogen breakdown.