BIOL L CH 1

Anatomy

The study of the structure of the body.

Physiology

The study of the function of the body.

Anatomical Position

An individual standing upright with legs slightly apart and palms facing forward.

Directional References

Terms that indicate relative positions in respect to the anatomical position.

Proximal

Closer to the point of attachment or origin.

Distal

Farther from the point of attachment or origin.

Superior (Cranial)

Above or higher in position.

Inferior (Caudal)

Below or lower in position.

Medial

Closer to the midline of the body.

Lateral

Farther from the midline of the body.

Anterior (Ventral)

The front of the body.

Posterior (Dorsal)

The back of the body.

Deep

Away from the surface of the body.

Superficial

Closer to the surface of the body.

Frontal (Coronal) Plane

Divides the body into anterior and posterior sections.

Sagittal Plane

Divides the body into left and right sections.

Transverse Plane

Divides the body into superior and inferior sections.

Hypo

A prefix meaning below.

Epi

A prefix meaning above.

Chondria

A term relating to cartilage.

Gastro

A term relating to the stomach.

Thoracic Cavity

Contains the pleural cavities (lungs), mediastinum (esophagus, trachea, thymus), and pericardial cavity (heart).

Abdominopelvic Cavity

Contains the abdominal cavity (digestive, urinary, lymphatic organs) and pelvic cavity (reproductive organs).

Serous Membrane

A membrane that secretes fluid.

Visceral Layer

The layer of the serous membrane that lies against the organ.

Parietal Layer

The layer of the serous membrane that lies against the interior wall of the body.

Atomic Level

The level of organization that includes atoms, e.g., carbon atom.

Molecular Level

The level of organization that includes molecules, e.g., proteins, carbohydrates, nucleic acids.

Cellular Level

The level of organization that includes cells, e.g., red blood cell (RBC).

Tissue Level

The level of organization that includes tissues, e.g., adipose, cartilage, muscle.

Organ Level

The level of organization that includes organs, e.g., heart, kidney, liver.

Systemic Level

The level of organization that includes organ systems, e.g., cardiovascular, urinary.

Organism Level

The level of organization that refers to a complete living entity, e.g., human.

Resolution

The ability to distinguish two entities as separate points.

Ocular Lens

The lens in a microscope that typically magnifies 10x.

Low Objectives

The lens in a microscope that magnifies 10x, resulting in a total of 100x magnification.

Field of View

The area visible when looking through a microscope.

High Power Calculation

A method to calculate the field of view under high magnification using a ruler on the microscope stage.