Anatomy and Physiology Review Flashcards

A complete set of vocabulary flashcards covering key definitions and concepts from the Anatomy and Physiology lecture notes.

Anatomy

The study of body structures and the structural relationships among body parts.

Physiology

The study of how body structures function and work together to sustain life.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical processes that occur within a living organism.

Catabolism

The metabolic process of breaking down complex organic molecules into simpler components.

Anabolism

The metabolic process of building up complex chemical substances from smaller, simpler components.

Homeostasis

The ability or tendency of an organism or cell to maintain internal equilibrium by adjusting its physiological processes.

Receptor

A sensor in a feedback loop that monitors changes in a controlled condition and sends input signals to a control center.

Control Center

The component of a feedback system that evaluates input from receptors and determines the appropriate response to maintain a controlled condition.

Effector

A body structure that receives output from a control center and produces a response to adjust the controlled condition.

Negative Feedback

A homeostatic mechanism that reverses a change in a controlled condition to keep a physiological property near its set point.

Positive Feedback

A homeostatic control mechanism where effector responses intensify or reinforce the original stimulus change, leading to greater change in the same direction.

Set Point

The target value or normal range around which a physiological property dynamically fluctuates.

Anatomical Position

Standard reference position where a subject stands upright facing forward, with feet forward, eyes looking straight ahead, and arms at sides with palms turned straight ahead.

Supine

Body position in which the body is lying face up on a horizontal surface.

Prone

Body position in which the body is lying face down on a horizontal surface.

Sagittal Plane

Anatomical plane that divides the body or an organ vertically into right and left sections.

Transverse Plane

Anatomical plane that divides the body into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) cross-sections.

Coronal Plane

Anatomical plane that divides the body into anterior (front) and posterior (back) sections.

Serous Membrane

Smooth membrane consisting of a thin cell layer that secretes lubricating serous fluid to line closed body cavities and cover internal organs.

Parietal Layer

Portion of a serous membrane that lines the outer wall of a body cavity.

Visceral Layer

Portion of a serous membrane that directly covers an internal organ.

Ion

An inorganic atom with a net positive or negative charge resulting from the loss or gain of electrons.

Polarity

An unequal distribution of electrical charge within a molecule or across a cell membrane.

pH

A logarithmic scale measure of hydrogen ion concentration, where values below 7 indicate acidity and values above 7 indicate basicity.

Buffer System

Chemical mechanisms in body fluids that resist drastic changes in pH to maintain homeostatic pH balance.

Carbohydrate

Organic macromolecule composed of sugars that provides the principal source of cellular energy needed for life.

Dehydration Synthesis

Chemical reaction that joins monomer molecules into polymers by removing a water molecule to form a covalent bond.

Hydrolysis

Chemical reaction that breaks polymers down into monomer units through the addition of a water molecule.

Lipid

Nonpolar organic molecule serving as cell membrane structural components, energy storage, insulation, and signaling molecules.

Phospholipid

Amphipathic membrane lipid containing a hydrophilic polar phosphate head and two hydrophobic nonpolar fatty acid tails.

Protein

Biological macromolecule constructed from amino acid chains that provides body structure, catalyzes reactions, transports substances, and regulates processes.

Enzyme

Biological protein catalyst that speeds up metabolic reactions by lowering their activation energy.

DNA (Deoxyribonucleic Acid)

Double-stranded nucleic acid forming the genetic code within cell nuclei, composed of nitrogenous bases, deoxyribose, and phosphate groups.

Gene

A specific segment of DNA along a chromosome that contains instructions for synthesizing RNA or proteins.

Central Dogma of Molecular Biology

Framework describing the flow of genetic information from DNA replication to transcription into RNA and translation into protein.

Plasma Membrane

Selectively permeable lipid bilayer containing phospholipids, cholesterol, and proteins that separates a cell's internal environment from external surroundings.

Selective Permeability

Property of the plasma membrane that permits certain substances to pass through freely while restricting the movement of others.

Passive Transport

Movement of substances across a cell membrane down a concentration or electrical gradient without requiring cellular energy (ATP).

Diffusion

Passive movement of solute particles from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration until equilibrium is reached.

Osmosis

Diffusion of solvent water molecules across a selectively permeable membrane toward a region of higher solute concentration.

Osmotic Pressure

The resistance or force exerted by non-diffusible solutes that pulls and holds water across a selectively permeable membrane.

Hydrostatic Pressure

The pressure exerted by a fluid column against a membrane surface.

Tonicity

The ability of a surrounding solution to modify a cell's internal fluid volume by inducing osmotic water movement.

Isotonic Solution

A solution having an equal concentration of solutes compared to cytosol, maintaining unchanged cell shape and volume.

Hypertonic Solution

A solution with a higher solute concentration than cytosol, causing water to diffuse out of the cell and leading to cell shrinkage.

Hypotonic Solution

A solution with a lower solute concentration than cytosol, driving water into the cell and causing it to swell or burst.

Glycocalyx

Fuzzy carbohydrate layer on the extracellular surface of the plasma membrane composed of glycolipids and glycoproteins.

Microvilli

Microscopic plasma membrane extensions ($1\text{--}2\,\mu\text{m}$) that expand cellular surface area to enhance absorption.

Active Transport

Energy-requiring movement of solutes across a cell membrane against their concentration or electrical gradient using cellular ATP.

Adenosine Triphosphate (ATP)

Primary energy currency molecule of the cell, storing energy in high-energy phosphate bonds released upon hydrolysis.

Endocytosis

Vesicular transport process where extracellular material is engulfed by the plasma membrane and enclosed in vesicles brought into the cell.

Exocytosis

Vesicular transport process where intracellular vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane to release contents into extracellular fluid.