Anatomy, Physiology, and the Science of Tissues

Flashcards covering the fundamentals of human anatomy and physiology, including organization, key disciplines, tissue types, the integumentary system, and basic neurobiology.

Anatomy

The study of the structure and relationships between body parts.

Physiology

The science of how body parts come together to function and keep the body alive.

Anatomy Act of 1832

British legislation that provided students with corpses from executed murderers for the study of anatomy, ending the era of lucrative grave robbing.

Complementarity of Structure and Function

The basic principle that what a structure can do depends on its specific form.

Homeostasis

The ability of all living systems to maintain stable internal conditions regardless of environmental changes.

Sagittal Plane

A vertical plane that divides the body or an organ into left and right parts.

Coronal (Frontal) Plane

A vertical plane that splits the body into front (anterior) and back (posterior) sections.

Transverse (Horizontal) Plane

A plane that divides the body into top (superior) and bottom (inferior) parts.

Axial Parts

Everything in line with the center of the body, including the head, neck, and trunk.

Appendicular Parts

The arms and legs, or appendages, that attach to the body's axis.

Histology

The study of biological tissues.

Nervous Tissue

Tissue that provides control and communication by sensing stimuli and sending electrical impulses.

Muscle Tissue

Tissue that facilitates movement, categorized into skeletal, cardiac, and smooth types.

Epithelial Tissue

Tissue that lines and covers body cavities and organs to create order and protection.

Connective Tissue

The most abundant and diverse primary tissue type, which provides support and is characterized by an extracellular matrix.

Neurons

Specialized building blocks of the nervous system that generate and conduct electrochemical nerve impulses.

Glial Cells

Nervous system support cells that provide insulation, protection, and tethering to blood vessels, outnumbering neurons by approximately $10$ to $1$.

Soma (Cell Body)

The life support of a neuron containing the nucleus, DNA, and mitochondria.

Dendrites

Bushy, branch-like appendages of a neuron that act as listeners by collecting signals from other cells.

Axon

A long, rope-like transmission cable that carries electrical impulses away from the neuron cell body.

Skeletal Muscle

Voluntary, striated muscle tissue that attaches to bones to facilitate movement and maintain posture.

Cardiac Muscle

Involuntary, striated muscle tissue found only in the heart, featuring branching structures and intercalated discs.

Smooth Muscle

Involuntary, non-striated muscle tissue that lines the walls of blood vessels and hollow organs.

Squamous Cells

Flat epithelial cells with scale-like shapes, used where absorption or transportation is priority.

Cuboidal Cells

Cube-shaped epithelial cells, about as tall as they are wide, which absorb nutrients and produce secretions.

Columnar Cells

Tall, thick epithelial cells that cushion underlying tissues and often secrete mucus.

Proper Epithelium

Epithelial tissue that covers and lines the outer and inner body.

Glandular Epithelium

Epithelial tissue that forms glands and secretes hormones and other substances.

Endocrine Glands

Glands that secrete hormones directly into the bloodstream or nearby cells.

Exocrine Glands

Glands that secrete substances into tubes or ducts that lead to the outside of the body or into internal cavities.

Extracellular Matrix

The nonliving material in connective tissue composed of ground substance and fibers like collagen and elastin.

Marfan Syndrome

A genetic disorder of the connective tissue that weakens elastic fibers, often leading to a potentially fatal tear in the aorta.

Mesenchyme

A loose and fluid type of embryonic tissue from which all connective tissues originate.

Integumentary System

The body system consisting of the skin, hair, nails, and sweat and oil glands.

Epidermis

The outermost, visible layer of the skin made of stratified squamous epithelial tissue.

Dermis

The middle layer of the skin where most skin functions like sweating and blood circulation occur.

Hypodermis (Subcutis)

The deepest layer of the skin, composed mostly of adipose or fatty tissue, providing insulation and energy storage.

Keratinocytes

Epidermal cells that produce keratin, a tough fibrous protein that provides structure and waterproofing.

Melanocytes

Spider-shaped cells that synthesize melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color.

Resting Membrane Potential

The difference in electrical charge across a resting neuron's membrane, typically measured at $-70\,mV$.

Sodium-Potassium Pump

A protein pump that maintains electrochemical gradients by moving $3$ sodium ions out of the cell for every $2$ potassium ions it moves in.

Action Potential

An electrical impulse fired by a neuron that travels down the axon to transmit signals.