A&P Vocabulary Flashcards: Directional Terms, Cavities, Planes, Organ Systems, Microscope, and Tissues

Vocabulary flashcards covering directional terms, body cavities and membranes, quadrants/regions, planes, organizational levels, organ systems, microscope parts, and tissue types.

Anterior (Ventral)

Toward the front of the body.

Posterior (Dorsal)

Toward the back of the body.

Superior (Cranial)

Toward the head (top).

Inferior (Caudal)

Toward the tail or lower part.

Proximal

Closer to the point of origin, usually the trunk.

Distal

Farther from the point of origin, usually the trunk.

Medial

Closer to the midline of the body.

Lateral

Farther from the midline; toward the outer side.

Superficial

Closer to the surface.

Deep

Farther below the surface.

Dorsal body cavity

Cavity subdivided into the cranial cavity and the vertebral (spinal) cavity.

Cranial cavity

Houses the brain.

Vertebral (spinal) cavity

Houses the spinal cord.

Ventral body cavity

Divided by the diaphragm into the thoracic cavity and the abdominopelvic cavity.

Thoracic cavity

Contains mediastinum and pleural cavities.

Mediastinum

Contains esophagus, trachea, bronchi, and heart.

Pleural cavity(s)

Cavities that contain the lungs (pleura covers lungs).

Pericardial cavity

Encloses the heart.

Abdominopelvic cavity

Divided into abdominal and pelvic cavities.

Abdominal cavity

Contains digestive organs.

Pelvic cavity

Contains urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum.

Right upper quadrant (RUQ)

the upper right quadrant of the four abdominal quadrants

Left upper quadrant (LUQ)

the upper left quadrant of one of the four

Right lower quadrant (RLQ)

lower right abdominal quadrant

Left lower quadrant (LLQ)

the left lower abdominal quadrant

Right hypochondriac region

One of the nine abdominal regions (top-right).

Epigastric region

Upper central abdominal region.

Left hypochondriac region

Top-left abdominal region.

Right lumbar region

Middle-right abdominal region.

Umbilical region

Central abdominal region around the navel.

Left lumbar region

Middle-left abdominal region.

Right iliac (inguinal) region

Lower-right abdominal region.

Hypogastric (pubic) region

Lower central abdominal region.

Left iliac region

Lower-left abdominal region.

Right hypochondriac, epigastric, left hypochondriac (nine regions)

Top row regions of the nine-region grid.

Frontal (coronal) plane

Divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) parts.

Sagittal plane

A plane parallel to the body’s longitudinal axis; divides into right and left parts.

Midsagittal (median) plane

Divides the body into equal right and left parts.

Parasagittal plane

Divides the body into unequal right and left parts.

Transverse plane (cross sections)

Perpendicular to the body's longitudinal axis; divides into superior and inferior parts.

Chemical level

The smallest level; atoms and molecules.

Cellular level

Levels formed by groups of molecules making cells.

Tissue level

Two or more cell types plus extracellular matrix combining to form tissues.

Organ level

Two or more tissue types form an organ with a recognizable function.

Organ system level

Two or more organs working together for a broad body function.

11 organ systems

Integumentary, Skeletal, Muscular, Nervous, Endocrine, Cardiovascular, Lymphatic, Respiratory, Digestive, Urinary (and often Reproductive in many lists).

Integumentary system

Protects the body, produces vitamin D, retains water, regulates temperature.

Skeletal system

Supports the body, protects organs, provides leverage, produces blood cells, stores calcium.

Muscular system

Produces movement, controls openings, generates heat.

Nervous system

Regulates body functions; enables sensation, movement, automatic functions, higher mental activity.

Endocrine system

Regulates body functions via hormones.

Cardiovascular system

Pumps/delivers blood, transports substances, removes wastes.

Lymphatic system

Returns excess tissue fluid to the blood; provides immunity.

Respiratory system

Delivers oxygen to the blood and removes CO2; maintains acid-base balance.

Digestive system

Digests food, absorbs nutrients, removes waste; maintains fluid/electrolyte balance.

Urinary system

Removes metabolic wastes; maintains fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balance; stimulates blood cell production.

The Microscope: Head

Upper part that supports ocular and objective lenses.

Base

Broad, flat, lower part that supports the instrument.

Arm

Vertical part connecting head to base.

Ocular lenses

Lenses in the eyepieces; magnify 10x typically.

Monocular/Binocular

Monocular has one ocular lens; binocular has two.

Ocular magnification

Usually 10x.

Objective lenses

Magnifying lenses on the rotating nosepiece; common: 4x, 10x, 40x, 100x.

Rotating nosepieces

Link objective lenses to head; rotate to switch lenses.

Mechanical stage

Flat stage where the slide sits, moved by knobs.

Condenser

Concentrates light on the specimen; adjusted with a knob.

Iris diaphragm lever

Regulates light entering the condenser.

Focus knobs

Coarse adjustment moves stage in large steps; fine adjustment for precise focusing.

Substage light

Light source under the stage; brightness controlled by a knob.

Ocular lenses magnification

Typically 10x.

Objective lenses magnifications

4x (scanning), 10x (low power), 40x (high power), 100x (oil immersion).

Tissue

Group of cells similar in structure and function.

Histology

The study of tissues.

Polarity

Epithelial cells have apical and basal surfaces.

Specialized contact

Cells form sheets with specialized junctions.

Basement membrane

Connective tissue layer that anchors epithelial cells to underlying tissue.

Avascular

Lacks its own blood supply.

Highest mitotic rate

Epithelium regenerates quickly.

Connective tissue

Protects, supports, binds, and transports; contains a matrix and cells.

Matrix

Noncellular, nonliving material between cells; may be liquid, gel, or solid.

Fibers

Collagen, elastic, and reticular fibers in the matrix.

Ground substance

Fluid components and proteoglycans in the matrix.

Highly vascularized

Most connective tissue has good blood supply (except cartilage and poorly vascularized tendons/ligaments).

Cartilage (avascular)

Cartilage has no direct blood supply.

Tendons and ligaments (poorly vascularized)

Connective tissues with limited blood supply.

Muscle tissue

Cells are elongated and specialized for contraction.

Myogenic

Contract without nervous input.

Neurogenic

Require nervous system input to contract.

Voluntary control

Contractions under conscious control.

Involuntary control

Contractions not under conscious control.

Nervous tissue

Transmits impulses; contains neurons and neuroglia.

Neurons

Nerve cells that receive and transmit impulses.

Neuroglia

Supportive cells that protect, nourish, and insulate neurons.

Subcategories of Epithelium: Shape - Squamous

Flattened epithelial cells.

Subcategories of Epithelium: Shape - Cuboidal

Cube-shaped epithelial cells.

Subcategories of Epithelium: Shape - Columnar

Tall, column-like epithelial cells.

Subcategories of Epithelium: Layers - Simple

Single cell layer.

Subcategories of Epithelium: Layers - Stratified

Two or more cell layers.

Subcategories of Epithelium: Layers - Pseudostratified

Appears multi-layered but is a single layer; may be ciliated.

head region

cephalic