lecture 1 Chapter 40 Animal form and function

Anatomy

The biological form of an organism.

Physiology

The study of biological functions an organism performs.

Homeostasis

The process by which organisms maintain a stable internal environment.

Thermoregulation

The ability of an organism to maintain its body temperature within certain boundaries.

Endothermic

Organisms that generate heat internally to maintain body temperature (e.g., mammals, birds).

Ectothermic

Organisms that rely on external heat sources to regulate body temperature (e.g., reptiles, amphibians).

Metabolic rate

The amount of energy an animal uses in a unit of time.

Basal metabolic rate (BMR)

The metabolic rate of an endotherm at rest at a comfortable temperature.

Standard metabolic rate (SMR)

The metabolic rate of an ectotherm at rest at a specific temperature.

Torpor

A state of decreased physiological activity in an animal, usually characterized by a reduced metabolic rate and body temperature.

Hibernation

Long-term torpor that occurs in animals during the winter months to conserve energy.

Acclimatization

Adjustment to multiple environmental changes.

Convergent evolution

The process where different species evolve similar traits due to similar environmental challenges.

Surface area to volume ratio (S/V ratio)

A critical measure that affects the rate of exchange of materials across cell membranes.

Interstitial fluid

The fluid that fills the spaces between cells in complex animals.

Feedback control

Mechanisms that regulate internal conditions, often through negative feedback.

Countercurrent heat exchangers

Structures that allow for transfer of heat between fluids flowing in opposite directions to reduce heat loss.

Bioenergetics

The overall flow and transformation of energy in an animal.

Autotrophs

Organisms that harness light energy to build energy-rich molecules, such as plants.

Heterotrophs

Organisms that obtain chemical energy from food, such as animals.

Acclimation

Adjustment to a single environmental factor.

Negative feedback

A process that returns a variable to a normal range.

Positive feedback

A process that amplifies a stimulus and does not usually contribute to homeostasis.

Energy conservation

Strategies used by animals to conserve energy, such as during torpor or hibernation.

Fever

A response to infection that involves a change in the set point for the biological thermostat.

Glia

Support cells in the nervous system that nourish, insulate, and regulate neuronal activity.

Epithelial tissue

Tissue that covers the outside of the body and lines organs and cavities.

Connective tissue

Tissue that supports and binds other tissues, consisting of scattered cells in a matrix.

Muscle tissue

Tissue composed of cells that contract to produce movement.

Nervous tissue

Tissue responsible for the receipt, processing, and transmission of information through neurons.

What are the main types of tissues in the human body?

The main types of tissues are epithelial tissue, connective tissue, muscle tissue, and nervous tissue.