Human Body Systems 3,4,5,6,7, 8, 13,14, 15

Mouth

place where food is food chemically and phsycially broken down

Saliva

watery secretion from salivary glands, breaks down starch molecules with the aid of enzyme amylase, cleanes teeth and washes away bacteria, greatly reduced during sleep

Swallowing

Voluntary action. The process of moving bolus from the oral cavity to the esophagus by pushing it to the back of the mouth with the tongue.

Esophagus

A long muscular tube that leads from the oral cavity to the stomach. It carries food from the mouth to the stomach during swallowing.

Taste buds

Oval structures located on the upper surface of the tongue that contain taste receptors. They are stimulated by five basic flavors:sweet, sour, salty, bitter, and umami.

Epiglottis

A flap of tissue that acts like a trapdoor, closing off the trachea during swallowing to prevent food from entering the windpipe.

Stomach

An organ located on the left side of the abdominal cavity where food from the esophagus enters. It liquefies food with acids and mixes it with muscle contractions.

Chyme

A thin, watery paste that is formed when food is mixed with acids in the stomach. It is the result of the stomach's digestion process.

Peristalsis

The involuntary muscle contractions in the esophagus that propel food into the stomach. Involuntary action

Proteins

Large molecules that are coagulated by stomach acid and broken down by protein-digesting enzymes in the stomach. They are further broken down in the small intestine.

Mucus

An alkaline secretion produced by cells in the lining of the stomach that protects the stomach lining from stomach acid and protein-digesting enzymes.

Small intestine

A coiled 20 ft long tube in the abdominal cavity where large food molecules are broken down into smaller ones by digestive enzymes. It is responsible for most of the digestion and absorption of nutrients.

Pancreas

An organ nestled in a loop formed by the first portion of the small intestine that produces digestive enzymes and sodium bicarbonate. The enzymes break down large molecules in food, while sodium bicarbonate neutralizes stomach acid.

Liver

An organ situated on the right side of the abdomen that performs various functions, including the production of bile. Bile helps in the digestion of fats by breaking fat globules into smaller ones.

Bile

A fluid produced by the liver and stored in the gallbladder that contains bile salts. Bile salts break down fat globules into smaller ones so they can be digested by fat-digesting enzymes in the small intestine.

Gallstones

Deposits of cholesterol and other materials in the gallbladder that can block the flow of bile to the small intestine. They can reduce lipid digestion and absorption.

Absorption

The process by which digested food molecules pass through the lining of the small intestine into the blood or lymphatic vessels located beneath the epithelium.

Large intestine

The final part of the digestive system where water, sodium, and potassium ions are absorbed from waste, and the remaining undigested food and materials form feces.

Defecation

The process of expelling feces from the rectum through the anus. It is controlled by the relaxation of the external anal sphincter and voluntary contractions of the abdominal muscles.

Digestive System

The organs responsible for the digestion and absorption of food.

Nervous System

The system that coordinates the processes of digestion and absorption in the body.

Endocrine System

The system that produces hormones to regulate the digestion and absorption of food.

Circulatory System

The system that transports oxygen, nutrients, and waste materials throughout the body.

Heart

The muscular pump that propels blood through the circulatory system.

Pulmonary Circuit

The circuit that carries blood to and from the lungs.

Systemic Circuit

The circuit that transports blood to and from the rest of the body.

Atrium

The upper chambers of the heart that receive blood.

Ventricle

The lower chambers of the heart that pump blood out.

Heart Valves (bicuspid and tricuspid)

Structures in the heart that control the direction of blood flow.

Heart Sounds

The sounds produced by the closing of the heart valves. The first heart sound (LUB) results from the closure of the atrioventricular valves. It is longer and louder than the second heart sound (dub), produced when the valves in the connecting arteries shut.

Pacemaker

The internal timing device in the heart that regulates the heart rate.

Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG)

A recording of the electrical activity in the heart.

Myocardial Infarction

A heart attack caused by a blockage in the arteries supplying the heart muscle.

Plaque

A buildup of fatty deposits in the arteries that can lead to heart attacks.

Angina

A type of pain that occurs when the supply of oxygen to the heart muscle is reduced, causing a dull, heavy, constricting pain in the center of the chest that can spread to the throat, upper jaw, back, and left arm.

Coronary artery disease

A condition that nearly always causes angina in men, characterized by the narrowing or blockage of the coronary arteries.

Rheumatic fever

caused by a bacterial infection. antibodies can damage the heart valves, preventing them from closing completely. This causes blood to leak back into the atria and ventricles after contraction and results in a distinct “sloshing” sound, called a heart murmur.

Cardiac arrest

A condition in which the SA node loses control of the heart muscle, causing the cardiac muscle cells to beat independently and potentially leading to the heart stopping or reducing its pumping ability.

Fibrillation

A type of heart attack characterized by abnormal electrical activity in the heart, which can be treated by applying a strong electrical current to the chest or through cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR).

Heart Disease Prevention

The best way to avoid heart disease, which includes maintaining a healthy diet, regular exercise, stress management, and quitting smoking.

Blood clot-dissolving agents

Medications used to treat heart attacks by dissolving blood clots and reducing damage to the heart muscle.

Balloon angioplasty

A procedure in which a catheter with a tiny balloon attached is inserted into a clogged heart artery, and the balloon is inflated to open the artery and loosen plaque from the artery walls.

Stent

A tiny device inserted into a previously opened artery after balloon angioplasty to hold the artery open and prevent plaque from clogging it again.

Coronary bypass surgery

A surgical procedure in which small segments of veins or arteries are transplanted from the leg into the heart to bypass clogged blood vessels and restore blood flow.

Blood pressure

The force exerted by the blood against the walls of the blood vessels, which varies throughout the cardiovascular system and is measured using a blood pressure cuff.

Systolic pressure

The higher of the two numbers in a blood pressure reading, representing the pressure at the moment the ventricles contract.

Diastolic pressure

The lower of the two numbers in a blood pressure reading, representing the pressure at the moment the heart relaxes to let the ventricles fill again.

Hypertension

Prolonged elevation in blood pressure, which can be caused by various factors including obesity and is an indication of cardiovascular disease.

Capillaries

Tiny, thin-walled vessels that form extensive networks in body tissues, allowing for the exchange of nutrients, gases, and waste products between the blood and cells.

Arterioles

The smallest of all arteries, which branch from larger arteries and supply various organs, including capillaries.

Venules

The smallest of all veins, which receive blood from capillaries and converge to form larger veins.

Varicose veins

Bulging, painful veins that occur when blood pools in the veins due to obstructions or weakened vein walls.

Lymphatic system

An extensive network of vessels and glands that transports lymph, excess tissue fluid, back to the circulatory system and is functionally related to the circulatory and immune systems.

Circulatory system

The system in the body responsible for transporting blood throughout the body, supplying oxygen and nutrients to cells and removing waste.

Plasma

The fluid component of blood that contains dissolved substances such as sodium, glucose, and blood proteins, and transports macronutrients, micronutrients, hormones, and waste products.

Red blood cells

Highly flexible cells that transport oxygen and some carbon dioxide in the blood, containing hemoglobin which binds to oxygen and carbon dioxide.

Sickle-cell anemia

A genetic disease that causes red blood cells to become sickle-shaped and inflexible, leading to blockages in capillaries and a decrease in oxygen supply to tissues and organs.

Anemia

A condition characterized by a reduction in the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood, resulting in weakness, fatigue, and pale skin.

White blood cells

Cells involved in the body's immune response, responsible for engulfing harmful bacteria, producing antibodies, and fighting infections.

Leukemia

A cancer of white blood cells that fills the bone marrow, leading to a decline in red blood cell and platelet production, reduced clotting, and increased susceptibility to infections.

Platelets

Tiny cell fragments involved in blood clotting, forming a plug at the site of a damaged blood vessel to stop bleeding.

Hemophilia

A genetic defect characterized by a deficiency in blood-clotting factors, leading to excessive bleeding and a higher risk of joint damage and disability.

Blood clotting

A homeostatic mechanism that forms a fibrin web to seal damaged blood vessels and stop bleeding, dissolved by enzymes after the vessel is repaired.

Virus

A strand of DNA or RNA surrounded by a protein coat, sometimes with an additional protective layer known as the viral envelope.

Immune system

The body's defense mechanism against harmful viruses and bacteria.

Inflammatory response

A chemical and biological warfare waged against harmful microorganisms, characterized by redness, swelling, pain, and heat.

difference between viruses and bacteria

Bacteria are living cells and viruses are not. Bacteria can reproduce on their own but viruses need a host to multiply. Bacterial infections can be treated with antibiotics but viral infections cannot.

Antibiotics

Drugs that inhibit protein synthesis in bacteria and are used to treat bacterial infections.

Antibiotic-resistant strains

Bacteria that have developed resistance to antibiotics due to heavy use of these drugs, resulting in infections that are difficult to treat.

Antiviral drugs

Drugs used to treat viral infections.

First line of defense

The skin and linings of the respiratory, digestive, and urinary systems, which form a physical barrier against microorganisms.

Second line of defense

chemical and cellular agents

Histamine

chemical released by injured tissue during inflammatory response to stimulate repair.

Third line of defense

the immune system

Antigens

Immune system is triggered by antigens which are large foreign molecules, such as proteins and long-chained carbohydrates, that trigger the immune response.

B-cells (Remember B like body.. antibodies)

Lymphocytes that produce antibodies to eliminate antigens, such as bacteria and bacterial toxins.

primary response

The first time an antigen enters the body, it elicits an immune response, but the initial reaction—or primary response—is relatively slow. Antibody levels in the blood do not begin to rise until approximately the beginning of the second week after the intruder was detected

secondary response

During a secondary response, antibody levels increase within a few days after the antigen has entered the body. The amount of antibody produced during this infection also greatly exceeds quantities produced during the primary response.

T- cells (remember T… atTack)

Lymphocytes that directly attack and kill viruses, infected cells, parasites, cancer cells, and foreign cells.

Memory T cells

T cells produced in response to antigens that form a cellular reserve to protect the body in the event of a second or third invasion.

Helper T cells

T cells that greatly enhance the immune response by stimulating both B cells and cytotoxic T cells. They are the most abundant of all the T cells and are targeted by HIV, disabling a person's immune system.

Suppressor T cells

T cells that "turn off" the immune reaction as the antigen begins to disappear.

Active immunity

Protection provided by vaccination, where the body actively produces memory T and B cells to protect against future infections.

Passive immunity

Temporary form of protection resulting from the injection of antibodies to disease-causing microorganisms, which directly destroy antigens without activating the immune system.

Vaccines

Inactivated or weakened viruses, bacteria, or bacterial toxins that elicit an immune response and stimulate the production of antibodies or T cells to provide active immunity.

Allergies

Overreactions to antigens called allergens, which stimulate the production of IgE antibodies that bind to mast cells and release histamine, causing allergic symptoms.

Autoimmune disease

A malfunction of the immune system where it attacks the body's own cells, often due to normal body proteins being modified and no longer recognized by the body.

AIDS

Acquired immune deficiency syndrome caused by the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), which attacks and weakens the immune system, leading to severe infections and death.

Respiratory system

Consists of the air-conducting portion that transports air to and from the lungs, and the lungs where gas exchange occurs between the air and the bloodstream.

Lungs

The gas exchange portion of the respiratory system.

Alveoli

Tiny, thin-walled air sacs in the lungs where oxygen and carbon dioxide exchange occurs.

Pharynx

The area where air is drawn backward after entering the nose and mouth.

Larynx

A rigid, hollow structure that houses the vocal cords and allows for speech, singing, and humming.

Trachea

The windpipe that air flows into after passing through the larynx.

Epiglottis

A flap of tissue that closes off the opening to the larynx during swallowing to prevent food from entering.

Bronchioles

Small ducts that lead directly to the alveoli and can open and close to control airflow in the lungs.

Mucus

A thick, slimy secretion produced by cells in the respiratory tract that traps particles and bacteria.

Cilia

Tiny organelles that beat upward toward the mouth and help transport mucus containing bacteria and dust particles.

Surfactant

A chemical produced by cells in the alveoli that prevents the alveoli from collapsing.

Alveolar Macrophages

Cells in the alveoli that engulf dust, bacteria, viruses, and other particulates.