Unit 1 Content Guide: Anatomy, Physiology, Chemistry, and Cellular Biology Flashcards

Vocabulary practice flashcards covering anatomical terminology, levels of organization, body systems, homeostasis, chemical foundational concepts, biological macromolecules, plasma membrane transport, cell organelles, protein synthesis, and the somatic cell cycle.

Anatomy

The study of body structures and the relationships among them.

Physiology

The study of how body structures and parts function.

Homeostasis

The condition of equilibrium or balance in the body's internal environment.

Negative Feedback System

A feedback mechanism that reverses a change in a controlled condition to return the body to homeostasis, such as body temperature regulation.

Positive Feedback System

A feedback mechanism that strengthens or reinforces a change in a controlled condition, such as during childbirth.

Anatomical Position

A standardized body position in which the subject stands erect facing the observer, head level, eyes facing forward, feet flat on the floor directed forward, with upper limbs at the sides and palms turned forward.

Cranial Cavity

The body cavity formed by the cranial bones that contains the brain.

Vertebral Canal

The body cavity formed by the vertebral column that contains the spinal cord.

Thoracic Cavity

The chest cavity containing the pleural cavities, pericardial cavity, and mediastinum.

Mediastinum

The central compartment of the thoracic cavity located between the lungs, extending from the sternum to the vertebral column.

Abdominal Cavity

The superior portion of the abdominopelvic cavity containing organs such as the stomach, spleen, liver, gallbladder, small intestine, and most of the large intestine.

Pelvic Cavity

The inferior portion of the abdominopelvic cavity containing the urinary bladder, portions of the large intestine, and internal reproductive organs.

Serous Membrane

A slippery double-layered membrane lining body cavities that do not open directly to the exterior and covering the organs within those cavities.

Four Most Abundant Elements

The four main elements in the human body: Oxygen ($O$), Carbon ($C$), Hydrogen ($H$), and Nitrogen ($N$).

Ion

An atom or molecule that has a net electrical charge due to the loss or gain of one or more electrons.

Hydrolysis

A chemical reaction that breaks down polymers into monomer units by adding a water molecule.

Dehydration Synthesis

A chemical reaction that joins monomer units into polymers by removing a water molecule.

Concentration

The amount of a specific solute present in a given volume of solution.

Buffer

A chemical substance that stabilizes pH by resisting drastic changes in hydrogen ion ($H^+$) concentration.

Glycogen

A polysaccharide polymer composed of glucose monosaccharide monomers that serves as stored energy in the human body.

ATP (Adenosine Triphosphate)

A nucleotide molecule that serves as the principal energy currency of the body.

Intracellular Fluid (ICF)

Fluid located inside the cells of the body.

Extracellular Fluid (ECF)

Fluid located outside the cells of the body, including interstitial fluid and plasma.

Passive Transport

Movement of substances across a plasma membrane down their concentration gradient without requiring cellular energy ($ATP$).

Active Transport

Movement of substances across a plasma membrane against their concentration gradient requiring cellular energy ($ATP$).

Diffusion

The passive movement of solute particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.

Osmosis

The net movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an area of higher water concentration to lower water concentration.

Tonicity

A measure of a solution's ability to change the volume of cells by altering their water content.

Nucleus

An organelle that contains DNA and directs all cellular activities.

Rough Endoplasmic Reticulum

A membrane network studded with ribosomes that functions in protein synthesis and processing.

Smooth Endoplasmic Reticulum

A membrane network lacking ribosomes that synthesizes fatty acids and steroids and inactivates or detoxifies chemicals.

Ribosomes

Organelles composed of rRNA and proteins that function as the sites of protein synthesis.

Mitochondria

Organelles that carry out cellular respiration to produce the majority of cellular $ATP$ energy.

Golgi Apparatus

An organelle composed of flattened membranous sacs that modifies, sorts, packages, and transports proteins from the rough endoplasmic reticulum.

Lysosomes

Membrane-enclosed vesicles containing digestive enzymes that break down cellular debris, unneeded structures, and foreign particles.

Transcription

The process occurring in the nucleus in which genetic code from DNA is transcribed into messenger RNA ($mRNA$).

Translation

The process occurring at ribosomes where messenger RNA ($mRNA$) instructions are translated to build specific proteins.

Somatic Cell Cycle Stages

The phases of cell growth and division consisting of interphase ($G_1$, $S$, and $G_2$) followed by the mitotic ($M$) phase.

Mitosis

The nuclear division phase of somatic cell division consisting of prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase.

Cytokinesis

The division of a cell's cytoplasm and organelles resulting in two identical daughter cells.