Chapter 23: Animal Tissues and Organ Systems

Flashcards summarizing key terms and definitions from Chapter 23 related to animal tissues and organ systems.

Organelle

A membrane-bounded structure that has a specific function within a cell.

Cell

The fundamental unit of life; multicellular organisms consist of many cells, while unicellular organisms consist of one cell.

Tissue

A collection of specialized cells that function in a coordinated fashion.

Population

A group of the same species of organisms living in the same place and time.

Organism

A single living individual.

Organ

A structure consisting of tissues organized to interact and carry out specific functions.

Organ System

Organs that are connected physically or chemically to function together.

Community

All populations that occupy the same region.

Ecosystem

The living and nonliving components of an area.

Biosphere

The global ecosystem; the parts of the planet and its atmosphere where life is possible.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of internal constancy in an organism.

Anatomy

The study of the structure and form of animal bodies.

Physiology

The study of the function of body parts.

Gene Expression

The process by which information from a gene is used in the synthesis of a functional gene product.

Epithelial Tissue

Tissues that cover surfaces and line the inside of hollow organs & body cavities.

Muscle Tissue

Tissue composed of cells capable of contracting to facilitate movement.

Nervous Tissue

Tissue that forms a rapid communication network using electrical signals.

Connective Tissue

Tissues that bind other tissues together, often containing a sparse number of cells in an extracellular matrix.

Stem Cells

Undifferentiated cells that can develop into specialized cell types.

Endotherm

An organism that generates body heat and regulates its temperature internally.

Ectotherm

An organism that relies on external conditions to thermoregulate.

Negative Feedback

A control mechanism that counteracts a change in a variable to maintain homeostasis.

Positive Feedback

A control mechanism that amplifies a stimulus to drive processes to completion.