Chapter 2 - Terms Pertaining to Whole Body

cranial cavity

Space in the head containing the brain and surrounded by the skull.

cranial

pertaining to the skull

diaphragm

Muscle separating the abdominal and thoracic cavities. The diaphragm moves up and down and aids in breathing.

mediastinum

centrally located space between the lungs

pelvic cavity

Space below the abdomen containing portions of the intestines, rectum, urinary bladder, and reproductive organs.

pelvic

pertaining to the pelvis, composed of the hip bones surrounding the pelvic cavity

peritoneum

double-layered membrane surrounding the abdominal organs.

pleura

double-layered membrane surrounding each lung

pleural cavity

space between the pleural membranes

spinal cavity

space within the spinal column (backbones) and containing the spinal cord. Also called the spinal canal.

thoracic cavity

space in the chest containing the heart, lungs, bronchial tubes, trachea, esophagus, and other organs

ventral (anterior)

pertaining to the front side of body

hypochondriac

right and left upper regions beneath the ribs

epigastric

middle upper region above the stomach

lumbar regions

right and left middle regions near the waist

umbilical

central region near the navel

inguinal regions

right and left lower regions near the groin. also called iliac regions

hypogastric

middle lower region below the umbilical region

RUQ

right upper quadrant

LUQ

left upper quadrant

RLQ

right lower quadrant

LLQ

left lower quadrant

cervical

neck region (C1 to C7)

thoracic

chest region (T1 to T12)

lumbar

loin (waist) region (L1 to L5)

sacral

region of the sacrum (S1 to S5)

coccygeal

region of the coccyx (tailbone)

vertebra

single backbone

vertebrae

backbones

spinal column

bone tissue surrounding the spinal cavity

spinal cord

nervous tissue within the spinal cavity

disk (disc)

pads of cartilage between vertebrae

posterior (dorsal)

the back side of the body

deep

away from the surface

superficial

on the surface

distal

far from the point of attachment to the trunk or from the beginning of a structure

inferior

below another structure

superior (cephalic)

above another structure

medial

pertaining to the middle or nearer the medial plane of the body

lateral

pertaining to the side

supine

lying on the back

prone

lying on the belly

frontal (coronal) plane

vertical plane dividing the body or structure into anterior and posterior portions.

sagittal (lateral) plane

lengthwise vertical plane dividing the body or structure into right and left sides.

midsagittal plane

divides the body into right and left halves

transverse plane (cross-sectional or axial)

horizontal plane running across the body parallel to the ground; divides the body into upper and lower portions

abdomin/o

abdomen (root)

adip/o

fat (root)

anter/o

front (root)

bol/o

to cast (throw) (root)

cervic/o

neck (of the body or of the uterus) (root)

chondr/o

cartilage (type of connective tissue) (root)

chrom/o

color (root)

coccyg/o

coccyx (tailbone) (root)

crani/o

skull (root)

cyt/o

cell (root)

dist/o

far, distant (root)

dors/o

back portion of the body (root)

hist/o

tissue (root)

ili/o

ilium (part of the pelvic bone (root)

inguin/o

groin (root)

kary/o

nucleus (root)

later/o

side (root)

lumb/o

lower back (side and back between the ribs and the pelvis) (root)

medi/o

middle (root)

nucle/o

nucleus (root)

pelv/i

pelvis, hip region (root)

poster/o

back, behind (root)

proxim/o

nearest (root)

sacr/o

sacrum (root)

sarc/o

flesh (root)

spin/o

spine, backbone (root)

thel/o

nipple (root)

thorac/o

chest (root)

trache/o

trachea, windpipe (root)

umbilic/o

navel, umbilicus (root)

ventr/o

belly side of the body (root)

vertebr/o

vertebra(e), backbone(s) (root)

viscer/o

internal organs (root)

ana-

up (prefix)

cata-

down (prefix)

epi-

above (prefix)

hypo-

below (prefix)

inter-

between (prefix)

meta-

change (prefix)

-eal

pertaining to (suffix)

-iac

pertaining to (suffix)

-ior

pertaining to (suffix)

-ism

process, condition (suffix)

-ose

pertaining to, full of (suffix)

-plasm

formation (suffix)

-some

bodies (suffix)

-type

picture, classification (suffix)

DNA

Chemical found within each chromosome. Arranged like a sequence of recipes in code, it directs the activities of the cell.

mitochondria

Structures in the cytoplasm in which foods are burned to release energy. Catabolism takes place in mitochondria.

nucleus

Control center of the cell. It contains chromosomes and directs the activities of the cell.

adipose tissue

Collection of fat cells.

cartilage

flexible connective tissue attached to bones at joints. For example, it surrounds the trachea and forms part of the external ear and nose.

epithelial cells

skin cells that cover the external body surface and line the internal surfaces of organs.

histologist

specialist in the study of tissues