kin exam1

Chemical Level of Organization

The level of organization that includes atoms and molecules, such as glucose and proteins.

Cellular Level of Organization

The basic unit of life, which includes cells like muscle cells and neurons.

Tissue Level of Organization

Groups of similar cells that perform a specific function, such as muscle tissue and nervous tissue.

Organ Level of Organization

Multiple tissues working together to perform a specific function, such as the heart.

Organ System Level of Organization

Multiple organs that work together to perform complex functions, such as the cardiovascular system.

Organism Level of Organization

The complete human body, which is made up of various organ systems.

Integration of Body Systems

The concept that body systems are functionally interdependent, such as the cardiovascular and respiratory systems working together to deliver oxygen to tissues.

Intracellular Fluid (ICF)

The fluid found inside cells.

Extracellular Fluid (ECF)

The fluid found outside cells.

Interstitial Fluid

The fluid that surrounds tissue cells.

Plasma

The liquid component of blood that carries cells and nutrients.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a stable internal environment despite external changes, essential for enzyme activity, metabolism, and cell survival.

Regulated Variables

Variables maintained within a normal range, such as blood glucose, body temperature, and blood pressure.

Negative Feedback Loops

Responses that oppose the initial change in a system, such as blood glucose regulation by insulin and glucagon.

Diabetes Mellitus

A chronic disruption of blood glucose regulation characterized by hyperglycemia and symptoms like polyuria, polydipsia, and fatigue.

Type 1 Diabetes

An autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β-cells leading to insulin deficiency.

Type 2 Diabetes

A condition characterized by insulin resistance and impaired insulin secretion.

Fasting Plasma Glucose

A test measuring blood glucose levels after fasting, with normal levels around 70-100 mg/dL.

Oral Glucose Tolerance Test

A test that measures the body's response to glucose, used to diagnose diabetes.

HbA1c

A test that measures average blood glucose levels over the past 2-3 months.

Carbohydrates

Biomolecules such as glucose and glycogen that provide energy.

Lipids

Biomolecules including triglycerides, phospholipids, and steroids that are important for energy storage and membrane structure.

Proteins

Biomolecules that include enzymes, receptors, and contractile proteins, made of amino acids.

Nucleic Acids

Biomolecules such as DNA, RNA, and ATP that are essential for genetic information and energy transfer.

Covalent Bonds

Chemical bonds formed when atoms share electrons, which can be nonpolar (equal sharing) or polar (unequal sharing).

Polarity & Solubility

Polar molecules dissolve in water, while nonpolar molecules are lipid-soluble, affecting membrane permeability.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical reactions in the body, including anabolism (building molecules) and catabolism (breaking molecules).

1st Law of Thermodynamics

Energy cannot be created or destroyed, only transformed.

2nd Law of Thermodynamics

Energy transformations increase entropy, meaning systems tend to become more disordered.

Enzymes

Biological catalysts that lower activation energy and are highly specific for their substrates.

ATP

Adenosine triphosphate, the universal energy currency of the cell, whose hydrolysis releases energy.

Glycolysis

The metabolic pathway that converts glucose into pyruvate, occurring in the cytosol.

Electron Transport Chain

A series of protein complexes in the inner mitochondrial membrane that produce ATP using oxygen as the final electron acceptor.