Exploring Creation with Advanced Biology - Module 1: Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology

Vocabulary flashcards generated from Module 1 of Exploring Creation with Advanced Biology 2nd Edition, covering fundamental anatomy and physiology concepts, organ systems, homeostasis, cell structures, protein synthesis, cell cycle, and membrane transport.

Anatomy

The study of body structure.

Physiology

The study of body function.

Developmental anatomy (Embryology)

The study of body development from conception to adulthood.

Surface anatomy

The study of the body surface.

Regional anatomy

The study of external body features in specific regions, such as practiced by podiatrists.

Gross anatomy

The study of visible body structures.

Microscopic anatomy

The study of microscopic body structures.

Systemic anatomy

The study of body systems.

Comparative anatomy

The study comparing body structures across different species.

Integumentary system

System that encloses internal body structures and serves as the site of many sensory receptors; includes skin, hair, and nails.

Skeletal system

System that supports the body and enables movement together with the muscular system; includes bones, cartilage, and joints.

Muscular system

System that enables movement together with the skeletal system and helps maintain body temperature; includes skeletal muscles and tendons.

Nervous system

System that detects and processes sensory information and activates bodily responses; includes the brain, spinal cord, and peripheral nerves.

Endocrine system

System that secretes hormones and regulates bodily processes; includes pituitary gland, thyroid gland, pancreas, adrenal glands, testes, and ovaries.

Cardiovascular system

System that delivers oxygen and nutrients to tissues and equalizes body temperature; includes the heart and blood vessels.

Lymphatic system

System that returns fluid to blood and defends against pathogens; includes the thymus, lymph nodes, spleen, and lymphatic vessels.

Respiratory system

System that removes carbon dioxide from the body and delivers oxygen to blood; includes nasal passages, trachea, and lungs.

Digestive system

System that processes food for use by the body and removes wastes from undigested food; includes stomach, liver, gall bladder, large intestine, and small intestine.

Urinary system

System that controls water balance in the body and removes wastes from blood and excretes them; includes kidneys and urinary bladder.

Levels of Structural Organization

The hierarchical structure of the body starting from atom, molecule, organelle, cell, tissue, organ, organ system, up to organism.

Epithelial tissue

Tissue that covers body surfaces and lines organs; functions in protection, absorption, and secretion.

Connective tissue

Tissue that supports, connects, protects, and transports materials throughout the body.

Muscle tissue

Tissue that contracts to produce body movement.

Nervous tissue

Tissue that transmits electrical signals for communication and control.

Homeostasis

The ability of an organism to maintain a stable internal environment despite changes in the outside environment.

Variable

A condition that can change or be measured in the body, such as body temperature, blood glucose level, or water level.

Set point

The target or ideal value that the body tries to maintain for a physiological variable, such as about $37^\circ\text{C}$ ($98.6^\circ\text{F}$) for human body temperature.

Stress (stressor)

A change or condition that disrupts homeostasis and causes the body to respond.

Negative feedback

A control mechanism that reverses a change to restore balance and return a variable to its set point.

Positive feedback

A mechanism that amplifies a change rather than reversing it, moving the body farther from the normal range until reaching a definite endpoint.

Sensor (Receptor)

A component of a feedback loop that detects a change in a physiological value.

Control Center

A component of a feedback loop that compares the physiological value to the set point and activates a response if needed.

Effector

A component of a feedback loop that reverses the change and brings the physiological value back to the normal range.

Animal Cell

An irregularly shaped eukaryotic cell with a flexible membrane, ranging between $10$ to $30\,\mu\text{m}$ in size, and lacking a cell wall.

Nucleus

Organelle that controls cell activities and contains DNA, the genetic blueprint of a living organism.

Cytosol

Fluid within the cell that surrounds the organelles.

Ribosome

Small organelle, often attached to the endoplasmic reticulum, that helps create proteins.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)

Network of membranes that helps synthesize and transport proteins and lipids.

Rough ER

Endoplasmic reticulum studded with ribosomes that makes proteins.

Smooth ER

Endoplasmic reticulum lacking ribosomes that makes lipids and helps with detoxification.

Golgi apparatus

Membrane-bound sac responsible for producing, storing, modifying, packaging, and transporting proteins and lipids.

Lysosome

An organelle that contains digestive enzymes and breaks down biological molecules and waste.

Mitochondrion

A bean-shaped organelle responsible for converting raw materials into usable energy (ATP).

Centrosome

Organelle near the nucleus containing centrioles that organizes microtubules and helps in cell division.

Transcription

The first step of protein synthesis where a gene's DNA information is copied into mRNA in the nucleus.

Translation

The step of protein synthesis where a ribosome in the cytoplasm reads mRNA codons and tRNA brings correct amino acids to form a polypeptide chain.

Cell Cycle

The series of events by which a cell grows, copies its DNA, and divides, consisting of Interphase, Mitosis, and Cytokinesis.

Interphase

Stage of the cell cycle where the cell grows and prepares for division, composed of $G_1$ (growth), S (DNA replication), and $G_2$ (final growth) phases.

Prophase

First stage of mitosis where chromosomes condense, the nuclear envelope breaks down, and the spindle forms.

Metaphase

Stage of mitosis where chromosomes line up at the cell equator.

Anaphase

Stage of mitosis where sister chromatids separate and move to opposite poles.

Telophase

Final stage of mitosis where two new nuclear envelopes form around the separated chromosomes.

Mitosis Stages

Nuclear division process divided into Prophase, Metaphase, Anaphase, and Telophase.

Cytokinesis

Division of the cytoplasm resulting in two distinct daughter cells.

Fluid Mosaic Model

Model describing the plasma membrane as a fluid phospholipid bilayer with embedded proteins, cholesterol, and carbohydrates that can move laterally.

Simple diffusion

Passive transport of molecules from an area of high concentration to low concentration without requiring ATP.

Facilitated diffusion

Passive movement of substances across a membrane from high to low concentration using membrane proteins, without ATP.

Osmosis

The movement of water across a semipermeable membrane without requiring ATP.

Active transport

Movement of substances across a membrane from low concentration to high concentration requiring ATP.

Exocytosis and Endocytosis

Active transport mechanisms using vesicles to release materials out of the cell (exocytosis) or take materials into the cell (endocytosis).

Pinocytosis

A form of endocytosis where the cell takes in fluids and dissolved substances in small vesicles ('cell drinking').

Phagocytosis

A form of endocytosis where the cell engulfs large particles or whole cells in vesicles ('cell eating').