Anatomy 1: Master Exam Preparation Guide

Comprehensive 309 practice flashcards grounded verbatim in the official Anatomy 1 course lectures, Kahoot review questions, and practice sets.

In anatomical position, which way do the palms face?

Forward

Where is the wrist located relative to the elbow?

Distal

Which anatomical plane divides the body into front and back portions?

Frontal (coronal)

Which body cavity contains the heart and lungs?

Thoracic

What does the anatomical term 'superficial' mean?

Closer to the body surface

Relative to the spine, where is the navel located?

Anterior

The plasma membrane is built mainly from which molecules?

Phospholipids

Why do phospholipid tails point inward, away from water?

The tails are hydrophobic

Which organelle releases most of the cell's usable energy?

Mitochondrion

Which organelle digests worn-out cell parts and debris?

Lysosome

During which phase of interphase is DNA copied?

S phase

In which phase of mitosis do chromosomes line up at the cell's middle?

Metaphase

What makes a tissue epithelial rather than connective?

Cells packed tightly with almost nothing between them

Why are lung air sacs lined with a single flat cell layer?

Thin enough for gases to diffuse straight across

Which epithelium lines your trachea?

Pseudostratified ciliated columnar

A tissue is described as 'stratified.' What does that tell you about its job?

It is built to take abrasion and protect

What do ALL connective tissues have in common?

Few cells and a lot of extracellular matrix

In dense regular connective tissue, what does 'regular' mean?

Collagen fibers all run in one direction

Which of these is NOT a connective tissue?

Epidermis

Which connective tissue is the loose packing that immune cells gather in?

Areolar

Which muscle tissue has intercalated discs joining its cells?

Cardiac muscle

How is skeletal muscle best described?

Striated and voluntary

What tissue type consists of non-striated, spindle-shaped cells in the wall of the stomach?

Smooth muscle

Which part of a neuron receives incoming signals?

Dendrite

What tissue type makes up the epidermis?

Keratinized stratified squamous epithelium

In which epidermal layer does cell division actually happen?

Stratum basale

Which epidermal layer is found in thick skin but NOT in thin skin?

Stratum lucidum

How do melanocytes protect us?

Shielding DNA in dividing cells from UV

Why does a third-degree burn need grafting?

It destroys the entire epidermis and dermis

Skin makes vitamin D. Without enough of it, a child's bones bow. Why?

Bone matrix cannot be properly mineralized

Which bone cell builds new bone matrix?

Osteoblast

What property does collagen give to bone?

Flexibility — it resists being pulled apart

Where does a long bone grow in length?

The epiphyseal plate

What is the structural unit of compact bone?

The osteon

Which cell breaks down bone matrix using acid and enzymes?

Osteoclast

An osteoblast that walls itself in with its own matrix becomes what?

An osteocyte

What is the small cavity that houses an osteocyte called?

A lacuna

Which bones develop by intramembranous ossification?

Flat skull bones and the clavicle

What happens to the bones of a patient bedbound for three months?

Bone mass falls in the unloaded regions

A bone soaked in acid can be tied in a knot. What did the acid remove?

The mineral

If a child fractures through the growth plate, what is the main long-term worry?

Growth may stop on that side, leaving a shorter limb

An older adult crushes a vertebra in a minor fall. What is the most likely underlying cause?

Osteoporosis — resorption has outpaced deposition

A bone baked in an oven shatters like chalk because heat destroyed what?

Collagen, leaving only mineral

An X-ray shows a child's forearm bone bent on one side and broken on the other. What type of fracture is this?

A greenstick fracture

A tennis player has denser bone in the humerus of their racket arm. What principle explains this?

Wolff's law — bone is laid down where it is loaded

Why is the shaft of the femur hollow rather than solid?

Bending stress is near zero at the centre, so material there adds weight without strength

What is the fundamental distinction between anatomy and physiology?

Anatomy studies structure, whereas physiology studies biological function and mechanisms.

What does microscopic anatomy specifically investigate?

Structures requiring magnification to be seen, such as cells and tissues (histology)

A medical student examines all muscles, nerves, blood vessels, and bones in the thigh before moving to the arm. Which gross anatomy approach is this?

Regional anatomy

Which gross anatomy approach studies the human body system by system across all regions?

Systemic anatomy

How many major organ systems make up the human body?

11 organ systems

In standard anatomical position, how are the upper limbs and palms oriented?

Standing upright, facing forward, upper limbs at sides, palms facing forward

Which two sub-cavities form the dorsal body cavity?

Cranial cavity (brain) and Vertebral cavity (spinal cord)

Which muscular structure physically separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominopelvic cavity?

Diaphragm

Which serous membrane specifically adheres directly to the outer surface of the lungs?

Visceral pleura

Which serous membrane lines the outer wall of the pericardial cavity?

Parietal pericardium

What is the key functional difference between parietal and visceral serous membrane layers?

Parietal layers line closed cavity walls; visceral layers adhere directly to internal organs.

In which abdominopelvic quadrant are the liver and gallbladder primarily located?

Right Upper Quadrant (RUQ)

In which abdominopelvic quadrant are the stomach and spleen located?

Left Upper Quadrant (LUQ)

A patient arrives with acute pain in the Right Lower Quadrant (RLQ). Which organ is the primary suspect?

Appendix and Cecum

Relative to the trunk attachment, how is the elbow positioned compared to the wrist?

Proximal

Which anatomical plane divides the human body into equal or unequal right and left portions?

Sagittal plane

Which body plane cuts the body horizontally into superior (upper) and inferior (lower) sections?

Transverse plane

Which four bones contain air-filled paranasal sinuses?

Frontal, Sphenoid, Ethmoid, and Maxilla

How many total bones contribute to forming the bony orbit (eye socket)?

7 bones

Which two cranial bones exist as left and right paired bones?

Parietal and Temporal

Which two facial bones are single (unpaired) bones?

Mandible and Vomer

What is the anatomical significance of fontanelles in an infant skull?

They provide flexibility during childbirth and space for rapid brain growth.

Which cervical vertebra is known as the 'Vertebra Prominens' due to its long, non-bifid spinous process?

C7

What is the scientific definition of matter?

Anything that occupies space and has mass

What dense central core of an atom houses positively charged protons and neutral neutrons?

Atomic nucleus

How does an ionic bond form between two atoms?

By the electrical attraction between oppositely charged ions after an electron is lost or gained

How do atoms interact during the formation of a strong covalent bond?

They share pairs of valence electrons.

What defines epithelial tissue structurally compared to connective tissue?

Tightly packed cells with minimal extracellular matrix

Which epithelial type lines lung air sacs (alveoli) for rapid gas diffusion?

Simple squamous epithelium

Which epithelial type lines kidney tubules for secretion and absorption?

Simple cuboidal epithelium

Which epithelial tissue lines the stomach and digestive tract?

Simple columnar epithelium

Which epithelial tissue lines the trachea and features cilia to sweep mucus?

Pseudostratified ciliated columnar epithelium

Which epithelial tissue forms the epidermis and lines the esophagus to resist abrasion?

Keratinized/Non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium

Which epithelial tissue lines the urinary bladder and stretches as it fills?

Transitional epithelium

What unicellular exocrine gland secretes protective mucin in mucosal membranes?

Goblet cell

Which loose connective tissue acts as universal packing material under every epithelium?

Areolar connective tissue

Which connective tissue stores triglycerides and insulates the body?

Adipose tissue

Which connective tissue forms parallel collagen bundles in tendons and ligaments?

Dense regular connective tissue

Which cartilage type covers long bone ends and forms costal rib cartilage?

Hyaline cartilage

Which cartilage type forms intervertebral discs and pubic symphysis to absorb shock?

Fibrocartilage

Which muscle tissue features voluntary control, striations, and multinucleated cylindrical cells?

Skeletal muscle

Which muscle tissue features involuntary control, striations, branching, and intercalated discs?

Cardiac muscle

Which muscle tissue features involuntary control, spindle-shaped cells, and no striations in visceral organ walls?

Smooth muscle

Which neuron region receives incoming electrical signals?

Dendrite

Which neuron region conducts electrical impulses away from the cell body?

Axon

What three layers compose the skin and subcutaneous tissue from superficial to deep?

Epidermis, Dermis, and Hypodermis

What specific tissue type makes up the epidermis?

Keratinized stratified squamous epithelium

What are the 5 epidermal layers in thick skin from deep to superficial?

Stratum basale, spinosum, granulosum, lucidum, corneum

Which epidermal layer is present strictly in thick skin (palms/soles) but absent in thin skin?

Stratum lucidum

In which epidermal layer do stem cells undergo active mitosis?

Stratum basale

Which cells produce melanin to shield keratinocyte nuclear DNA from UV damage?

Melanocytes

What cell junctions connect adjacent cells in the stratum spinosum, giving a spiny look?

Desmosomes

Which two sublayers compose the dermis?

Papillary layer (Areolar CT) and Reticular layer (Dense Irregular CT)

What type of sweat gland is responsible for evaporative cooling across the body?

Eccrine sweat gland