Flashcards Orientation to the Human Body | Quizlet

Anatomy

The study of the structure of body parts and their relationships to one another.

Physiology

The study of the function of the body and how body parts work.

Principle of Complementarity

Function always reflects structure; what a structure can do depends on its form.

Levels of Structural Organization

Chemical, cellular, tissue, organ, organ system, and organismal levels.

Necessary Life Functions

Maintain boundaries, movement, responsiveness, digestion, metabolism, excretion, reproduction, and growth.

Survival Needs

Nutrients, oxygen, water, normal body temperature, and appropriate atmospheric pressure.

Homeostasis

Maintenance of relatively stable internal conditions despite continuous external changes.

Negative Feedback

A mechanism where the response reduces or shuts off the original stimulus.

Positive Feedback

A mechanism where the response enhances or exaggerates the original stimulus.

Anatomical Position

Body erect, feet slightly apart, palms facing forward, thumbs pointing away from the body.

Superior vs. Inferior

Superior is toward the head end; inferior is away from the head end.

Anterior vs. Posterior

Anterior is toward the front of the body; posterior is toward the back.

Medial vs. Lateral

Medial is toward the midline; lateral is away from the midline.

Sagittal Plane

A vertical plane that divides the body into right and left parts.

Frontal (Coronal) Plane

A vertical plane that divides the body into anterior and posterior parts.

Transverse Plane

A horizontal plane that divides the body into superior and inferior parts.

Dorsal Body Cavity

Protects the nervous system, containing the cranial and vertebral cavities.

Ventral Body Cavity

Houses internal viscera, divided into thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.

Serous Membrane

A double-layered membrane (parietal and visceral) enclosing fluid in ventral cavities.