Physiology: Chapter 1 - Intro

Anatomy

The science of body structures and the relationships among them.

Physiology

The study of body functions - how the body parts work.

Atom

The smallest unit of matter that participates in chemical reactions.

Molecule

Two or more atoms joined together.

Cell

The basic structural and functional units of an organism that are composed of chemicals.

Tissue

A group of cells and the materials surrounding them that work together to perform a particular function (similar to the way words are put together to form sentences).

Organ

Structures that are composed of two or more different types of tissues; they have specific functions and usually have recognizable shapes.

System

Consists of related organs with a common function.

Organism (organism level)

Any living individual; all the parts of the human body functioning together constitute the total organism.

Diagnosis

The science and skill of distinguishing one disorder or disease from another.

Inspection

To look at the person or body part.

Palpation

A method of feeling with the fingers or hands during a physical examination.

Auscultation

Examination by listening to sounds in the body.

Percussion

The act of striking (percussing) an underlying part of the body with short, sharp taps as an aid in diagnosing the part by the quality of the sound produced.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical processes that occur in the body.

Catabolism

One phase of metabolism; the breakdown of complex chemical substances into simpler components.

Anabolism

The other phase of metabolism; the building up of complex chemical substances from smaller, simpler components.

Stem Cell

Precursor cells which can divide and give rise to cells that undergo differentiation.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of relatively stable conditions in the body’s internal environment.

Intracellular Fluid (ICF)

The fluid within cells.

Extracellular Fluid (ECF)

The fluid outside body cells.

Interstitial Fluid

The narrow spaces between cells of tissues that the ECF fills.

Receptor

A body structure that monitors changes in a controlled condition and sends input to a control center.

Effector

A body structure that receives output from the control center and produces a response or effect that changes the controlled condition.

Control Center

The part of the body that sets the narrow range or set point within which a controlled condition should be maintained, evaluates the input it receives from receptors, and generates output commands when they are needed.

Disorder

Any abnormality of structure or function.

Disease

A more specific term for an illness characterized by a recognizable set of signs and symptoms.

Symptom

Subjective changes in body functions that are not apparent to an observer.

Sign

Objective changes that a clinician can observe and measure.

Prone

Term used to describe a reclining body (if the body is laying facedown).

Supine

Term used to describe a reclining body (if the body is laying faceup).

Trunk

Term that consists of the chest, abdomen, and pelvis.

Cranial Cavity

A hollow space of the head which contains the brain that was formed by the cranial bones.

Vertebral Cavity

Contains the spinal cord which gets formed from the bones of the vertebral column (backbone).

Thoracic Cavity

The chest cavity that is formed by the ribs, the muscles of the chest, the sternum (breastbone), and the thoracic portion of the vertebral column.

Pericardial Cavity

A fluid-filled space that surrounds the heart.

Pleural Cavity

Two fluid-filled spaces, one around each lung.

Mediastinum

Central part of the thoracic cavity.

Diaphragm

A dome-shaped muscle that separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominopelvic cavity.

Abdominopelvic Cavity

Extends from the diaphragm to the groin and is encircled by the abdominal muscular wall and the bones and muscles of the pelvis.

Ventral Cavity

A fluid flipped space surrounding the organs on the ventral side of humans and other tetrapods.

Dorsal Cavity

An enclosed internal cavity located on the posterior aspect of the body, which contains and protects the central nervous system.

Serous Membrane

A slippery, double-layered membrane associated with body cavities that does not open directly to the exterior.

Pleura

Serous membrane of the pleural cavities.

Pericardium

Serous membrane of the pericardial cavity.

Peritoneum

Serous membrane of the abdominal cavity.

Radiography

The process of producing internal body images using ionizing radiation such as X-rays or gamma rays.

MRI

Imaging technique that uses a magnetic field and computer-generated radio waves to create detailed images of the organs and tissues of the body.

CT (computed tomography)

A type of imaging that uses X-ray techniques to create detailed images of the body.

Ultrasound

An imaging test that uses sound waves to make pictures (aka sonograms) of organs, tissues, and other structures inside the body.

Radionuclide/PET (positron emission tomography)

A nuclear imaging test that looks at how well your tissues and organs are working.