Major Themes of Anatomy and Physiology Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards generated from lecture notes covering foundational concepts in anatomy and physiology, scientific design, hierarchy of complexity, characteristics of life, homeostasis, body regions, and medical imaging.

Anatomy

The study of structure and form of the human body.

Physiology

The study of function, encompassing the chemistry and physics that work together to support life.

Comparative Anatomy

The study of more than one species in order to examine structural similarities and differences, and analyze evolutionary trends.

Inspection

A method of examining the structure of the human body simply by looking at its appearance.

Palpation

A method of examining the body by feeling a structure with the hands.

Auscultation

A method of examining the body by listening to natural sounds made by it.

Percussion

A method of examining the body by tapping on a surface to feel or listen to resistance and resulting sounds.

Anatomical Variation

Internal structural differences between individuals, where about $70\%$ of humans match the most common structure and $30\%$ possess variant anatomy.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of steady internal conditions within the human body.

Comparative Physiology

The study of different species to learn about bodily function due to limitations on human experimentation.

Reference Man

A physiological benchmark representing a male who is $22$\text{ years old}, weighs $154$\text{ lbs}, engages in light physical activity, and consumes $2800$\text{ kcal/day}.

Reference Woman

A physiological benchmark representing a female who is $22$\text{ years old}, weighs $128$\text{ lbs}, engages in light physical activity, and consumes $2000$\text{ kcal/day}.

Hippocrates

Greek figure recognized as the Father of A&P who established the Hippocratic Oath.

Claudius Galen

Roman figure who saw science as a method of discovery rather than facts taken on faith, writing a medical textbook used for hundreds of years.

Sample Size

The number of subjects used in a study to control for chance events and individual variation.

Control Group

A comparison group in an experiment consisting of untreated individuals or those given a placebo.

Psychosomatic Effects

Effects of a subject's state of mind on his or her physiology.

Double-Blind Study

An experimental procedure where neither the subject nor the experimenter knows who receives the treatment, preventing experimenter bias.

Peer Review

Critical evaluation of scientific work by other experts in the field prior to funding or publication to ensure honesty, objectivity, and quality.

Organism

A single, complete individual.

Organ System

A group of organs that work together to carry out basic functions; the human body has $11$ organ systems.

Organ

A structure composed of two or more tissue types that work together to carry out a particular function.

Tissue

A mass of similar cells and cell products that form a discrete region of an organ and perform a specific function.

Cell

The smallest unit of an organism that carries out all the basic functions of life.

Organelle

A microscopic structure in a cell that carries out its individual functions.

Atom

The smallest particle with a unique chemical identity.

Metabolism

The sum of internal chemical processes in the body, consisting of anabolism, catabolism, and excretion.

Anabolism

The metabolic process of building larger molecules from smaller ones.

Catabolism

The metabolic process of breaking large molecules into small ones, which releases energy.

Receptor

A component of a feedback loop that senses a change in the body.

Integrating Center

A component of a feedback loop that processes sensory information and directs a response.

Effector

A structure in a feedback loop that carries out the final corrective action to restore homeostasis.

Negative Feedback Loop

A homeostatic mechanism in which the body senses a change and activates processes to reverse or negate that change.

Positive Feedback Loop

A self-amplifying cycle in which physiological change leads to even greater change in the same direction.

Axial Region

The primary anatomical division of the body consisting of the head, neck, and trunk.

Appendicular Region

The primary anatomical division of the body consisting of the appendages or limbs.

Radiography

The process of using X-rays to penetrate tissues to darken photographic film beneath the body, displaying dense tissue as white.

Radiopaque Substance

A substance injected or swallowed to fill hollow structures like blood vessels or the intestinal tract for visualization on X-rays.

Computed Tomography (CT scan)

An imaging technique using low-intensity X-rays and computer analysis to create sharp, slice-type images useful for detecting tumors, aneurysms, and kidney stones.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET scan)

A nuclear medicine imaging technique that assesses tissue metabolic state by injecting radioactively labeled glucose to identify active or damaged tissue.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

An imaging modality superior for soft tissue visualization that monitors blood flow and tissue activity without X-rays.

Sonography

The second most widely used imaging method, using high-frequency sound waves that echo back from internal organs to create images without X-rays.