Organization of the Body - Vocabulary Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering the organization of the body, body systems, cavities, planes, and combining forms from the lecture notes.

Cells

The basic units of life; individual units found throughout the human body.

Tissues

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

Organs

Structures made of several kinds of tissue that perform a particular body function.

Systems

Groups of organs that cooperate to perform complex functions.

Circulatory System

Transports blood throughout the body; includes heart, blood, and blood vessels.

Lymphatic System

Transports lymph, which contains lymphocytes that fight disease; includes lymph vessels and lymph nodes.

Digestive System

Brings food into the body and breaks it down so it can enter the bloodstream; includes mouth, stomach, intestines.

Endocrine System

Glands that release hormones into the blood; includes thyroid, adrenal, and pituitary glands.

Female Reproductive System

Produces eggs and hormones; includes ovaries and uterus.

Male Reproductive System

Produces sperm and hormones; includes testes.

Musculoskeletal System

Supports the body and enables movement; includes muscles, bones, joints, and connective tissues.

Nervous System

Carries electrical messages to and from the brain; includes brain and spinal cord.

Respiratory System

Controls breathing; includes trachea, bronchial tubes, and lungs.

Skin and Sense Organ Systems

Receives messages from the environment and sends them to the brain; includes skin, eyes, and ears.

Urinary System

Produces urine and eliminates it from the body; includes kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.

Cranial Cavity

Houses the brain and pituitary gland.

Thoracic Cavity

Contains the lungs, heart, trachea, and bronchial tubes.

Abdominal Cavity

Contains the stomach, small and large intestines, liver, and gallbladder.

Pelvic Cavity

Contains the urinary bladder, ureters, urethra, rectum and anus, and the uterus.

Spinal (Spinal Column)

Includes the spinal column and nerves of the spinal cord.

Cervical Region

Neck portion of the spine.

Thoracic Region

Chest portion of the spine.

Lumbar Region

Loin or waist portion of the spine.

Sacral Region

Sacrum region; lower back portion of the spine.

Coccygeal Region

Tailbone region of the spine.

Frontal Plane

Vertical plane that divides the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) portions; anterior = front, posterior = back.

Sagittal Plane

Vertical plane that divides the body into right and left sides; midsagittal divides into equal right and left halves.

Transverse Plane

Horizontal plane that divides the body into upper and lower portions.

abdomin/o

Abdomen.

anter/o

Front.

bronch/o

Bronchial tubes.

cervic/o

Neck of the body or neck (cervix) of the uterus.

chondr/o

Cartilage.

coccyg/o

Coccyx, tailbone.

crani/o

Skull.

epitheli/o

Skin, surface tissue.

esophag/o

Esophagus.

hepat/o

Liver.

lapar/o

Abdomen.

laryng/o

Larynx (voice box).

later/o

Side.

lumb/o

Loin or waist.

lymph/o

Lymph (clear fluid in tissue spaces and lymph vessels).

mediastin/o

Mediastinum (space between the lungs).

pelv/o

Pelvis (bones of the hip).

peritone/o

Peritoneum (membrane surrounding the abdominal organs).

pharyng/o

Pharynx (throat).

pleur/o

Pleura.

poster/o

Back, behind.

radi/o

X-rays.

sacr/o

Sacrum (five fused bones in the lower back).

spin/o

Spine (backbone).

thorac/o

Thorax (chest).

trache/o

Trachea (windpipe).

vertebr/o

Vertebra (backbone).