Lecture 1: Module Intro, Homeostasis & the Nervous System

Vocabulary flashcards covering anatomy, physiology, body composition, fluid compartments, homeostasis mechanisms, reflex arcs, sensory transduction, and receptor types.

Anatomy

Deals with the structure of human body parts.

Physiology

Considers the function of human body parts.

Internal Body Temperature

The internal body temperature that always remains constant at $37\,^{\circ}\text{C}$.

Body Composition - Water

Makes up $61.5\%$ of total body composition.

Body Composition - Protein

Makes up $17\%$ of total body composition.

Body Composition - Fat

Makes up $14\%$ of total body composition.

Body Composition - Carbohydrates

Makes up $1.5\%$ of total body composition.

Body Composition - Minerals

Makes up $6\,\text{kg}$ of total body composition.

Intracellular Fluid (ICF)

Cell fluid located inside cells, totaling $28\,\text{L}$.

Interstitial Fluid (ECF)

Tissue fluid surrounding cells outside of cell membranes, totaling $11\,\text{L}$.

Plasma (ECF)

Blood fluid located outside of the capillary membrane, totaling $3\,\text{L}$.

Auto-regulation (Intrinsic)

Process in which a cell, tissue, or organ adjusts its activity itself.

Extrinsic Regulation

Multi-step regulation process involving the nervous system and endocrine system.

Negative Feedback

Homeostatic mechanism where the body responds by reducing or opposing the original stimulus.

Positive Feedback

Homeostatic mechanism where the body's response enhances or reinforces the original stimulus.

Stimulus

A change in the internal or external environment that initiates a control system response.

Receptor

The detector component of a control system that senses a stimulus.

Afferent Pathway

The input pathway that carries sensory signals from the receptor to the control centre.

Control Centre

The decision maker in a control system that interprets input signals and determines the response.

Efferent Pathway

The output pathway that carries instructions from the control centre to the effector.

Effector

Muscles or glands that execute the response determined by the control centre.

Response

The actual effect or action produced by the effector.

Feedback

The resulting impact of an action or response on the original stimulus.

Reflex

An involuntary, rapid, and predictable response to a stimulus.

Transduction

The process of converting a stimulus into electrical potentials across neuron membranes.

Ampullae of Lorenzini

Sensory receptors that function primarily as electroreceptors, sensing electric fields, salinity, and temperature.

Baroreceptors

Receptors located in blood vessels that detect blood pressure.

Chemoreceptors

Receptors that detect chemical stimuli, such as taste, smell, $O_2$, and $CO_2$.

Electromagnetic Radiation Receptors

Receptors that detect electromagnetic radiation.

Electroreceptors

Receptors that detect electrofields.

Hydroreceptors

Receptors that detect humidity.

Infrared Receptors

Receptors that detect infrared radiation.

Magnetoreceptors

Receptors that detect magnetic fields.

Mechanoreceptors

Receptors in skin, tubes, or joints that respond to mechanical stress or strain.

Nociceptors

Receptors in skin that detect damage or threat of damage to body tissues, leading to pain perception.

Osmoreceptors

Receptors that detect the osmolarity of fluids.

Photoreceptors

Receptors in the eye (rods and cones) that detect visible light.

Proprioceptors

Receptors that provide perception of position.

Thermoreceptors

Receptors in skin and blood that detect temperature.

Ultraviolet Receptors

Receptors that detect ultraviolet radiation.

Stimuli Intensity

Coded by the frequency of action potentials and the number of receptors activated.

Stimulus Location

Coded by the physical location of the activated receptors.

Spinal Cord

Structure that links the brain to the body, controls reflexes, regulates/filters the flow of neural information, and houses circuitry for patterns of neural information.

Brain and Cranial Nerves

Structures that link the brain to the head (and body), control head reflexes, regulate/filter the flow of neural information, and house circuitry for patterns of neural information.