Anatomy and Physiology Chapter 1 Flashcards

Vocabulary flashcards covering fundamental terms and concepts from Chapter 1 of Seeley's Anatomy & Physiology.

Anatomy

The scientific discipline that investigates the body's structure, such as the size and shape of a bone.

Physiology

The scientific investigation of the processes or functions of living things.

Gross Anatomy

The study of structures that can be examined without a microscope.

Cytology

The microscopic study of cellular anatomy.

Histology

The microscopic study of tissues.

Radiograph

A flat, two-dimensional image formed by X-rays passing through the body and exposing a photographic plate.

Ultrasound

An imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves that bounce back to a receiver, visualized as a sonogram.

Computed Tomography (CT)

An imaging technique consisting of computer-analyzed X-ray images that can be stacked to produce 3D images.

Digital Subtraction Angiography (DSA)

An imaging technique that uses an injected radiopaque dye into the blood to enhance differences compared to a noninjected scan.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI)

An imaging technique that directs radio waves at a person inside a large electromagnetic field to produce computer-analyzed images.

Positron Emission Tomography (PET)

An imaging technique that detects radioactively labeled glucose usage by a tissue to pinpoint metabolically active cells.

Cell Physiology

The study of physiological processes occurring within cells.

Systemic Physiology

The study of the functions of specific organ systems.

Neurophysiology

The branch of physiology that focuses on the nervous system.

Cardiovascular Physiology

The branch of physiology that focuses on the heart and blood vessels.

Pathology

The study of structural and functional changes caused by disease.

Exercise Physiology

The study of changes in structure and function caused by exercise.

Chemical Level

The structural level of organization involving the interaction of atoms and molecules.

Cell Level

The basic structural and functional unit of living organisms, containing organelles.

Tissue Level

A level of organization consisting of a group of similar cells and the materials surrounding them.

Organ Level

A level of organization composed of two or more tissues functioning together.

Organ System Level

A level of organization consisting of a group of organs functioning together.

Organism Level

Any living thing, whether composed of one cell or many cells.

Integumentary System

Organ system that provides protection, regulates temperature, prevents water loss, and helps produce vitamin D; consists of skin, hair, nails, and sweat glands.

Skeletal System

Organ system that provides protection and support, allows body movements, produces blood cells, and stores minerals and fat; consists of bones, cartilages, ligaments, and joints.

Muscular System

Organ system that produces body movements, maintains posture, and produces body heat; consists of muscles attached to the skeleton by tendons.

Nervous System

Major regulatory system that detects sensations and controls movements, physiological processes, and intellectual functions; consists of brain, spinal cord, nerves, and sensory receptors.

Endocrine System

Major regulatory system consisting of glands that secrete hormones to influence metabolism, growth, reproduction, and other functions.

Cardiovascular System

Organ system that transports nutrients, waste products, gases, and hormones throughout the body, playing a role in immune response and temperature regulation.

Lymphatic System

Organ system that removes foreign substances from blood and lymph, combats disease, maintains tissue fluid balance, and absorbs fats from the digestive tract.

Respiratory System

Organ system that exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide between the blood and air and regulates blood pH.

Digestive System

Organ system that performs mechanical and chemical digestion, absorption of nutrients, and elimination of wastes.

Urinary System

Organ system that removes waste products from the blood and regulates blood pH, ion balance, and water balance.

Female Reproductive System

Organ system that produces oocytes, serves as the site of fertilization and fetal development, produces milk, and secretes sexual hormones.

Male Reproductive System

Organ system that produces and transfers sperm cells to the female and produces hormones that influence sexual functions.

Organization

The characteristic of life describing the specific interrelationships and functions among the parts of an organism.

Metabolism

The ability to use energy to perform vital functions, encompassing all chemical reactions of the body.

Responsiveness

The ability to sense changes in the interior or exterior environment and adjust.

Growth

An increase in the overall size and/or number of cells.

Development

The changes an organism undergoes over time, including differentiation and morphogenesis.

Differentiation

The developmental change of general cells or tissues to specific forms.

Morphogenesis

The change in shape of tissues, organs, or the entire organism during development.

Reproduction

The formation of new cells or new organisms for growth and development, allowing passing of genes to offspring.

Homeostasis

The maintenance of a relatively constant internal environment within the body.

Set Point

The ideal normal value around which a physiological variable fluctuates.

Receptor

A component of a feedback loop that monitors the value of a variable by detecting a stimulus.

Control Center

A component of a feedback loop that establishes the set point and receives input from the receptor.

Effector

A component of a feedback loop that generates a response to alter the value of a variable.

Negative Feedback

A homeostatic mechanism that counteracts a change in a variable by decreasing the deviation to return to the set point.

Positive Feedback

A mechanism in which a deviation from the set point causes a response that makes the deviation even greater.

Anatomical Position

The standard stance where the body is erect, face forward, feet together, and palms face forward.

Supine

Body orientation describing a person lying face upward.

Prone

Body orientation describing a person lying face downward.

Superior (Cephalic)

Directional term meaning closer to the head or above another structure.

Inferior (Caudal)

Directional term meaning closer to the tail/feet or below another structure.

Anterior (Ventral)

Directional term meaning toward the front or belly of the body.

Posterior (Dorsal)

Directional term meaning toward the back of the body.

Proximal

Directional term for linear structures meaning closer to the point of attachment to the body.

Distal

Directional term for linear structures meaning farther from the point of attachment to the body.

Medial

Directional term meaning toward the midline of the body.

Lateral

Directional term meaning away from the midline of the body.

Superficial

Directional term meaning toward or on the surface of the body.

Deep

Directional term meaning away from the surface of the body; internal.

Sagittal Plane

A plane running vertically through the body, dividing it into left and right portions.

Median Plane

A sagittal plane that passes directly down the midline of the body.

Frontal (Coronal) Plane

A plane running vertically that divides the body into anterior and posterior sections.

Transverse (Horizontal) Plane

A plane running horizontally that divides the body into superior and inferior sections.

Oblique Plane

A plane cut through the body or an organ at any angle other than a right angle.

Dorsal Body Cavity

The cavity that houses the brain (cranial cavity) and spinal cord (vertebral canal).

Ventral Body Cavity

The main body cavity housing viscera, divided into the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.

Visceral Serous Membrane

The inner layer of a serous membrane that covers internal organs directly.

Parietal Serous Membrane

The outer layer of a serous membrane that lines cavity walls.

Pericardium

The serous membrane surrounding the heart containing pericardial fluid.

Pleura

The serous membrane surrounding the lungs and lining the thoracic cavity.

Peritoneum

The serous membrane surrounding many abdominal organs and lining the abdominopelvic cavity.

Mesentery

Double-folded regions of visceral peritoneum attached to the posterior abdominopelvic wall that provide pathways for nerves and blood vessels.

Retroperitoneal

Describing organs situated behind the peritoneum that only have peritoneum on their peritoneal cavity side.

Pericarditis

Inflammation of the pericardium.

Pleurisy

Inflammation of the pleura.

Peritonitis

Inflammation of the peritoneum.