Anatomy and Physiology Study Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering skeletal anatomy, central nervous system, cardiovascular, respiratory, and digestive system concepts from the lecture transcript.

Axial Skeleton

The group of bones lying around the longitudinal axis of the human body, including the skull, auditory ossicles, hyoid bone, ribs, sternum, and vertebrae.

Appendicular Skeleton

The bones of the upper and lower limbs plus the girdles that connect the limbs to the axial skeleton.

Cranial Bones

The eight bones (frontal, two parietal, two temporal, occipital, sphenoid, ethmoid) that form the cranial cavity enclosing and protecting the brain.

Facial Bones

The fourteen bones (two nasal, two maxillae, two zygomatic, mandible, two lacrimal, two palatine, two inferior nasal conchae, vomer) that form the structure of the face.

Temporomandibular Joint (TMJ)

The joint formed by the articulation of the mandibular fossa of the temporal bone and the condylar process of the mandible.

Foramen Magnum

The largest foramen in the skull, located in the occipital bone, through which the medulla oblongata connects to the spinal cord.

Sphenoid Bone

The keystone bone of the cranial floor that lies at the middle part of the base of the skull and articulates with all other cranial bones.

Ethmoid Bone

A sponge-like bone located in the anterior part of the cranial floor between the orbits, containing ethmoidal cells that form the ethmoidal sinuses.

Fontanels

Mesenchyme-filled, dense connective tissue spaces present between incompletely developed cranial bones at birth, commonly called soft spots.

Sinusitis

An inflammation of the mucous membrane of one or more paranasal sinuses.

Atlas ($C1$)

The first cervical vertebra, which lacks a body and spinous process and articulates with the occipital bone to permit head nodding.

Axis ($C2$)

The second cervical vertebra, featuring a peg-like process called the dens that serves as a pivot for side-to-side rotation of the head.

Dens

A tooth-shaped process on the axis ($C2$) that projects superiorly through the vertebral foramen of the atlas to form a pivot joint.

Vertebra Prominens ($C7$)

The seventh cervical vertebra, characterized by a single, large spinous process felt at the base of the neck.

Scapula

A large, flat, triangular shoulder blade bone situated in the posterior part of the thorax.

Clavicle

A long, slender, S-shaped collarbone positioned horizontally above the first rib.

Humerus

The arm bone, which is the longest and largest bone of the upper limb.

Capitulum

A rounded knob at the distal end of the humerus that articulates with the head of the radius.

Trochlea

A spool-shaped surface at the distal end of the humerus that articulates with the ulna.

Carpal Tunnel

A narrow space formed by the concavity of the carpal bones through which the median nerve and long flexor tendons of the digits pass.

Femur

The thigh bone, recognized as the longest, heaviest, and strongest bone in the human body.

Patella

A small, triangular sesamoid bone (kneecap) located in front of the knee joint within the tendon of the quadriceps femoris muscle.

Tibia

The shin bone; the larger, medial, weight-bearing bone of the leg.

Talus

The most superior tarsal bone of the foot and the only foot bone that articulates directly with the tibia and fibula.

Meninges

Three layers of connective tissue coverings (dura mater, arachnoid mater, pia mater) that enclose and protect the brain and spinal cord.

Dura Mater

The tough, outermost layer of dense irregular connective tissue covering the brain and spinal cord.

Brain Stem

The portion of the brain continuous with the spinal cord, consisting of the medulla oblongata, pons, and midbrain.

Myocardium

The thick middle layer of the heart wall, composed of specialized cardiac muscle tissue responsible for pumping blood.

Cardiac Tamponade

A life-threatening compression of the heart caused by excessive fluid accumulation within the pericardial cavity.

Conducting Zone

A series of interconnecting cavities and tubes (nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, bronchioles) that filter, warm, moisten, and conduct air into the lungs.

Respiratory Zone

Tissues within the lungs where gas exchange occurs, including the respiratory bronchioles, alveolar ducts, alveolar sacs, and alveoli.

Trachea

A tubular passageway for air (windpipe) extending from the larynx to the level of the fifth thoracic vertebra ($T5$).

Bronchial Tree

The continuous branching network of macroscopic respiratory airways starting at the trachea and extending down to the terminal bronchioles.

Pepsin

A protein-digesting enzyme in gastric juice secreted by chief cells in an inactive form (pepsinogen) and activated by hydrochloric acid.

Acini

Small clusters of glandular epithelial cells that constitute the exocrine portion of the pancreas.