Anatomy Physiology - SPRING FINAL 2026

Antigens

Produce an immune response to ward off invaders.

Arteries

Carries blood away from heart; think of them as the 'highways' of the circulatory system.

Atria

Receiving chambers for incoming blood; they 'receive' the flow.

Cardiac muscle

Striations

Capillaries

Extremely numerous

Chordae tendineae

Fine connective tissue threads that connect cusps to papillary muscles (aka heart strings).

Chyme

Semi-liquid mixture of partially digested food in the stomach; think of it as 'food soup'.

Color of urine

Typically pale yellow due to pigment urochrome; darker urine may indicate dehydration

Deviated septum

Nasal septum where the wall is not straight; it can make breathing feel 'off balance'.

Dialysis

A medical process that filters waste from the blood when the kidneys aren't functioning properly.

Epiglottis

Flap that prevents food from entering the airway during swallowing; it acts like a 'trapdoor' for food.

Epidermis

Outermost layer of skin

Factors that increase urine production

hydration

Fossa ovalis

Remnant of the foramen ovale (hole between left and right atria) that allows blood from the atria to mix before the lungs are active during gestation.

Fundus of stomach

Upper curved portion of the stomach; think of it as the 'top shelf' of the stomach.

Gingivitis

Infection of the gums; remember to 'gingerly' care for your gums to avoid this.

Gout

A painful type of inflammatory arthritis caused by excess uric acid; it's like 'joints on fire'.

Insulin

Hormone that lowers blood sugar; think of it as the 'sugar police'.

Kidneys

Organs that filter blood

Kidney stones

Hard deposits made of minerals and salts that form inside kidneys; they can feel like 'sharp surprises'.

Ketosis

Ketones (acetonuria) can be caused by diabetes mellitus or an abnormal diet; think of it as 'fat burning mode'.

Laryngitis

Losing your voice

Lymph

Returns fluids to the bloodstream

Lymph nodes

Produce lymphocytes

Myocardium

Muscle layer of the heart; it's the 'powerhouse' that pumps blood.

Nasal cavity

Separated by nasal septum

Nasopharynx

1st part of the pharynx (throat); it's the 'first stop' for air and food.

Naturally acquired immunity

You got sick so now you are immune to that sickness; it's like 'building your own defense army'.

Odontoblasts

Cells that make dentin; think of them as 'tooth builders'.

Pancreatitis

Inflammation of pancreas.

Parietal cells

Cells that make HCl (hydrochloric acid) and intrinsic factor; they are the 'acid factories' of the stomach.

Phonation

Any vocal sounds created from the larynx (vibrations of air over the vocal cords); it's the 'music of the voice'.

Pleurisy

An inflammation of the pleural membrane

Podocytes

Specialized cells in the glomeruli that help filter blood and prevent protein loss; think of them as 'blood filters'.

Ptosis

A condition where the kidney drops lower than normal

Respiratory Distress Syndrome (RDS)

Occurs in babies

Salivary glands

Make saliva; moistens and mixes food into bolus to be swallowed; they are the 'mouth's helpers'.

Signs of inflammation

Include heat

Sinus cavities

Connected by channels-sinus meatus; decongestants reduce swelling (antihistamines).

Skin's role in the immune system

The largest organ of the human body; it's the 'first line of defense'.

Small intestine

Absorbs nutrients; consists of duodenum

Spleen

Looks like a catcher's mitt and destroys old red blood cells; it's the 'recycler' of blood.

T-Cells

Made in the thymus; make up 70-80% of all lymphocytes; they are the 'warriors' of the immune system.

Thymus

Gland located above the heart in the mediastinum

Trachea

Windpipe leading to the lungs; think of it as the 'air highway'.

Tricuspid valve

Valve between the right atrium and the right ventricle; it helps 'control the flow'.

Type II cells in the lungs

Make surfactant; they help keep the lungs 'inflated'.

Ureter

A tube that carries urine from the kidney to the bladder; think of it as the 'urine highway'.

Veins

Carries blood to the heart; they have thinner walls and lower oxygen content; think of them as the 'return routes' for blood.

Ventricles

Larger very muscular pumping chambers of the heart; RV pumps blood a short distance to the lungs, LV pumps blood at high pressure to the entire body.