BIO 168 Final Review Flashcards

A comprehensive set of flashcards focused on vocabulary terms vital for understanding Anatomy and Physiology, covering several major concepts and definitions in the subject.

Anatomy

The study of the structure of body parts and their relationships.

Physiology

The study of the function of body parts and their activities.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a stable internal environment in the body.

Negative Feedback

A mechanism that opposes or negates the original stimulus to maintain homeostasis.

Positive Feedback

A mechanism that enhances or exaggerates changes; pushes a system further from its start point.

Integumentary System

The body system that includes the skin and its derivatives, protecting the body and regulating temperature.

Skeletal System

The body system that provides support, protects tissues, stores minerals, and forms blood cells.

Muscular System

The system responsible for producing movement, providing support, and generating heat through muscle contractions.

Cardiovascular System

The system responsible for the transport of materials, including nutrients, hormones, and gases throughout the body.

Nervous System

A system that provides rapid control and regulation of body functions through electrical signals.

Endocrine System

A system that secretes hormones to direct long-term changes in other systems.

Digestive System

The system that processes food and absorbs nutrients.

Urinary System

The system that eliminates excess water, salts, and wastes from the body.

Reproductive System

The system responsible for producing sex cells and hormones; supports embryonic development in females.

Atoms

The smallest stable units of matter, composed of subatomic particles including protons, neutrons, and electrons.

Isotopes

Atoms of the same element that have the same number of protons but different numbers of neutrons.

pH

A measure of hydrogen ion concentration in body fluids, indicating acidity or alkalinity.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts that speed up chemical reactions in the body.

Osteocytes

Mature bone cells that maintain bone matrix.

Myofibrils

Cylindrical structures within muscle fibers containing the contractile proteins actin and myosin.

Neuromuscular Junction

The connection between a motor neuron and a skeletal muscle fiber.

Reflex Arc

The neural pathway that mediates a reflex action, involving receptors, sensory neurons, integration centers, motor neurons, and effectors.

Sympathetic Nervous System

The division of the autonomic nervous system that prepares the body for 'fight or flight' responses.

Parasympathetic Nervous System

The division of the autonomic nervous system responsible for 'rest and digest' functions.

Cerebrospinal Fluid

Fluid that surrounds the brain and spinal cord, providing protection and nutrient transport.

Levels of Structural Organization

The hierarchy of biological organization from chemical level to organismal level: chemical, cellular, tissue, organ, organ system, and organism.

Cells

The basic structural and functional units of all living organisms.

Tissues

Groups of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function.

Organs

Structures composed of two or more different types of tissues working together to perform specific functions.

Cell Membrane

The outermost boundary of an animal cell, regulating passage of substances into and out of the cell.

Mitochondria

Organelles responsible for generating most of the cell's supply of ATP (adenosine triphosphate), used as a source of chemical energy.

Nucleus

The central organelle of a eukaryotic cell, containing the cell's genetic material (DNA).

Ribosomes

Cellular structures responsible for protein synthesis.

Epithelial Tissue

Tissue that covers body surfaces, lines body cavities, and forms glands.

Connective Tissue

Tissue that supports, protects, and binds other tissues together, comprising cells, fibers, and ground substance.

Muscle Tissue

Tissue specialized for contraction, producing movement. Includes skeletal, cardiac, and smooth muscle.

Nervous Tissue

Tissue specialized for transmitting electrical signals, involved in communication and control within the body.

Diffusion

The net movement of particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

Osmosis

The net movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of higher water concentration to an area of lower water concentration.

Active Transport

Movement of substances across a cell membrane against their concentration gradient, requiring energy (ATP).

Anatomical Position

A standard reference position in which the body is erect, feet together, arms at the sides, and palms facing forward.

Mitosis

The process of cell division that results in two daughter cells each having the same number and kind of chromosomes as the parent nucleus.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

The primary energy currency of the cell, used to power various cellular processes.

Hormones

Chemical messengers secreted by endocrine glands that travel through the bloodstream to target cells regulating various body functions.

Cell Junctions

Points of contact between adjacent cells that provide structural support, create seals, or facilitate communication.