Seeley's Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology - Chapter 1: The Human Organism

Vocabulary flashcards covering core concepts, levels of organization, body systems, characteristics of life, homeostasis, directional terms, body planes, cavities, and serous membranes from Chapter 1 of Seeley's Essentials of Anatomy & Physiology.

Anatomy

The investigation of body structure; derived from a term meaning to dissect.

Physiology

The investigation of body processes and functions.

Human Physiology

The study of the specific processes and functions of the human organism.

Systemic Physiology

A subdiscipline of physiology that studies the functions of body organ-systems.

Cellular Physiology

A subdiscipline of physiology that studies the functions of body cells.

Systemic Anatomy

A subdiscipline of anatomy that studies body organ-systems.

Regional Anatomy

A subdiscipline of anatomy that studies body regions, commonly used in medical schools.

Surface Anatomy

A subdiscipline of anatomy that studies external features, such as bone projections.

Anatomical Imaging

The study of body structure using technologies such as X-rays, ultrasound, and MRI.

Chemical Level

The smallest structural level of organization, consisting of atoms, chemical bonds, and molecules.

Cellular Level

The level of structural organization where molecules form organelles, such as the nucleus and mitochondria, which make up cells.

Tissue Level

A level of organization consisting of a group of similar cells and surrounding extracellular substances that perform a specific function.

Organ Level

A level of organization composed of two or more tissue types acting together to perform one or more functions.

Organ-System Level

A level of organization consisting of a group of organs contributing to a common function.

Organism Level

The level of biological organization where all organ systems work together, including associated microorganisms such as intestinal bacteria.

Integumentary System

Organ system that provides protection, regulates temperature, prevents water loss, and helps produce vitamin D; consists of skin, hair, nails, sebaceous glands, and sweat glands.

Skeletal System

Organ system that provides protection and support, allows body movements, produces blood cells, and stores minerals and adipose tissue; consists of bones, associated cartilages, ligaments, and joints.

Muscular System

Organ system that produces body movements, maintains posture, and produces body heat; consists of muscles attached to the skeleton by tendons.

Nervous System

A major regulatory system that detects sensations and controls movements, physiological processes, and intellectual functions; consists of the brain, spinal cord, nerves, and sensory receptors.

Endocrine System

A major regulatory system that influences metabolism, growth, reproduction, and many other functions; consists of endocrine glands, such as the pituitary, that secrete hormones.

Cardiovascular System

Organ system that transports nutrients, waste products, gases, and hormones throughout the body, playing a role in immune response and body temperature regulation; consists of the heart, blood vessels, and blood.

Lymphatic System

Organ system that removes foreign substances from the blood and lymph, combats disease, maintains tissue fluid balance, and absorbs dietary fats; consists of lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes, and other lymphatic organs.

Respiratory System

Organ system that exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood and air and regulates blood pH; consists of the lungs and respiratory passages.

Digestive System

Organ system that performs the mechanical and chemical processes of digestion, absorption of nutrients, and elimination of wastes; consists of the mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, and accessory organs.

Urinary System

Organ system that removes waste products from the blood and regulates blood pH, ion balance, and water balance; consists of the kidneys, urinary bladder, and ureters.

Female Reproductive System

Organ system that produces oocytes, serves as the site of fertilization and fetal development, produces milk, and produces hormones; consists of ovaries, uterine tubes, uterus, vagina, mammary glands, and associated structures.

Male Reproductive System

Organ system that produces and transfers sperm cells to the female and produces hormones; consists of the testes, accessory structures, ducts, and penis.

Organization

A characteristic of life defined by functional interrelationships between parts of an organism.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical and physical changes sustaining an organism, including the ability to acquire and use energy.

Responsiveness

The ability of an organism to sense and respond to changes in both its internal and external environments.

Growth

An increase in size of an organism, achieved through an increase in the size of cells, groups of cells, or extracellular materials.

Development

Changes an organism undergoes in form, size, cell structure, and function over time.

Differentiation

The developmental process in which cell structure and function change from generalized to specialized.

Reproduction

The formation of new cells or new organisms, essential for species continuation, growth, and tissue repair.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a relatively constant internal environment despite fluctuations in the external or internal environment.

Variable

A measure of a body property that can change in value, such as body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure, or blood glucose levels.

Set Point

The normal, or average, value of a physiological variable, such as $98.6^\text{o}\text{F}$ for body temperature.

Normal Range

The normal extent of increase or decrease of a physiological variable around its set point.

Negative Feedback

The primary homeostatic mechanism that detects deviation away from a set point and causes a response that reverses the deviation back toward normal.

Receptor

A component of a feedback system that monitors and detects changes in the value of a variable.

Control Center

A component of a feedback system that receives receptor signals, establishes the set point, compares variable values against the set point, and sends signals to effectors.

Effector

A component of a feedback system that directly produces a response that causes a change in a variable.

Positive Feedback

A feedback mechanism in which an initial stimulus further amplifies the response, causing progressive deviation away from the set point outside the normal range.

Anatomical Position

The standard body posture where a person stands erect with the face and palms directed forward.

Superior

Directional term meaning above or toward the head; also known as cephalic.

Inferior

Directional term meaning below or toward the feet; also known as caudal.

Anterior

Directional term meaning toward the front of the body; also called ventral.

Posterior

Directional term meaning toward the back of the body; also called dorsal.

Medial

Directional term meaning close to or toward the midline of the body.

Lateral

Directional term meaning away from the midline of the body.

Proximal

Directional term meaning closer to the point of attachment of a structure.

Distal

Directional term meaning farther from the point of attachment of a structure.

Superficial

Directional term describing a structure close to the surface of the body.

Deep

Directional term describing a structure located toward the interior of the body.

Sagittal Plane

A vertical plane that separates the body into right and left parts.

Median Plane

A sagittal plane running along the midline that divides the body into equal left and right halves.

Transverse Plane

A horizontal plane that separates the body into superior and inferior parts.

Frontal Plane

A vertical plane that separates the body into anterior and posterior parts; also called coronal plane.

Longitudinal Section

A cut made along the long axis of an organ.

Transverse Section

A cross-section cut made at a right angle across the long axis of an organ.

Oblique Section

A cut made across the long axis of an organ at any angle other than a right angle.

Thoracic Cavity

The space within the chest wall and diaphragm containing the heart, lungs, thymus gland, esophagus, and trachea.

Mediastinum

The central space between the lungs within the thoracic cavity containing the heart, thymus gland, esophagus, and trachea.

Abdominal Cavity

The space between the diaphragm and pelvis containing the stomach, intestines, liver, spleen, pancreas, and kidneys.

Pelvic Cavity

The space within the pelvis containing the urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and part of the large intestine.

Serous Membrane

A double-layered membrane lining trunk cavities and covering organs, consisting of visceral and parietal layers separated by a fluid-filled cavity.

Visceral Serous Membrane

The inner layer of a serous membrane that covers organs directly.

Parietal Serous Membrane

The outer layer of a serous membrane that lines cavity walls.

Pericardium

The serous membrane surrounding the heart, consisting of visceral pericardium and parietal pericardium separated by the pericardial cavity.

Pleura

The serous membrane surrounding the lungs, consisting of visceral pleura and parietal pleura separated by the pleural cavity.

Peritoneum

The serous membrane surrounding the abdominopelvic cavity and its organs, consisting of visceral peritoneum and parietal peritoneum separated by the peritoneal cavity.

Mesenteries

Double layers of visceral peritoneum that anchor organs to the body wall and provide pathways for blood vessels and nerves.