BIOL 216 Introduction

Abdominal

pertaining to the abdomen

Abdominal Cavity

largest hollow space containing the stomach, liver, intestines, and kindeys

Abdominopelvic Cavity

body cavity located below the diaphragm, containing the abdominal and pelvic cavity

Acromial

pertaining to the point of the shoulder

Anatomical Position

standardized body orientation in which a person stands upright, faces forward, with arms at the sides, palms facing forward, and feet together or parallel

Antebrachial

pertaining to the forearm

Antecubital

the anterior surface of the elbow

Anterior

toward the front (same as ventral in humans)

Anticipatory Homeostasis

a type of homeostatic control where the body prepares for a change before it actually occurs

Axillary

pertaining to the armpit

Brachial

pertaining to the arm

Buccal

pertaining to the cheek

Calcaneal

pertaining to the calcaneus (ankle bone)

Carpal

pertaining to the wrist

Caudal

toward the tail

Cephalic

pertaining to the head

Cervical

pertaining to the neck

Coagulation Cascade

the series of chemical reactions that turn blood from a fluid into a stable fibrin clot after a blood vessel is injured

Control Center

a body structure that receives sensory input, determines the set point for a physiological variable, and coordinates responses to maintain homeostasis

Coronal/Frontal

dividing the body into anterior and posterior sections (also frontal)

Correctional Mechanism

a regulatory process that restores a system variable back to its set point when it deviates from the normal range

Coxal

pertaining to the hip

Cranial

pertaining to the skull (toward the head)

Cranial Cavity

the hollow space within the skull that encases and protects the brain, its membranes, blood vessels, and cerebrospinal fluid

Crural

pertaining to the anterior surface of the leg

Deep

structures farther from the surface of the body

Diaphragm

a dome shaped muscular partition separating the thorax from the abdomen

Digital

pertaining to the fingers (or toes)

Distal

farther away from the point of origin

Dorsal

back or upper side

Dynamic Constancy

constant fluctuation of a variable within normal range

Effector

an organ or cell that acts in response to a stimulus (control center)

Endocrine

refers to glands or tissues that secrete hormones directly into the blood rather than through ducts

Epigastric Region

contains key upper‑abdominal organs including the esophagus, stomach, liver, pancreas, spleen, duodenum, kidneys, adrenal glands, small intestine, and transverse colon

Feedforward Regulation

a system anticipates and adjusts in response to an expected change or input, rather than reacting only after a deviation occurs

Femoral

pertaining to the thigh

Frontal

pertaining to the forehead; divides the body into anterior and posterior sections (also coronal)

Gluteal

pertaining to the buttocks

Hallux

pertaining to the great toe

Homeostasis

the dynamic process by which the body maintains stable internal conditions (“set point”)

Hypogastric Region

contains the urinary bladder, sigmoid colon, rectum, parts of the small intestine (ileum), and sex‑specific reproductive organs

Inferior

towards the tail (also caudal)

Inguinal

pertaining to the groin

Integument

the outer covering of an organism

Lateral

away from the midline

Left Hypochondriac Region

upper left portion of the abdomen

Left Iliac Region

lower left portion of the anterior abdominal wall

Left Lower Quadrant

located below the navel on the left side

Left Lumbar Region

lower back area on the left side of your torso

Left Upper Quadrant

upper left section of the abdomen

Lumbar

pertaining to the lower back

Lymph

a clear to slightly yellowish fluid that circulates through the lymphatic system

Lymphatic

refers to the network of vessels, tissues, and organs that transport lymph, a clear fluid, and support immune function and fluid balance

Manual

pertaining to the hand

Mammary

pertaining to the breasts

Medial

towards the midline

Mediastinum

the central space in the chest between the lungs/pleural cavity

Mental

pertaining to the chin

Metacarpal

pertaining to the metacarpals (bones of the hands)

Metatarsal

pertaining to the metatarsals (bones of the foot)

Midline

an imaginary vertical line that divides the body into equal right and left halves

Myometrium

thick, muscular middle layer of the uterus, composed primarily of smooth muscle fibers

Nasal

pertaining to the nose

Negative Feedback

a regulatory mechanism in the body that reverses deviations from a set point to maintain homeostasis

Occipital

pertaining to the back of the head

Ocular

pertaining to the eye

Olecranal

pertaining to the olecranon (bony process of the ulna)

Oral

pertaining to the mouth

Orbital

pertaining to the hole/socket of the skull

Otic

pertaining to the ear

Oxytocin

a peptide hormone and neuropeptide produced in the hypothalamus and released by the posterior pituitary gland

Palmar

pertaining to the palm

Parasagittal

next to the sagittal plane

Patellar

pertaining to the anterior surface of the knee

Pedal

pertaining to the foot

Pelvic

pertaining to the pelvis

Pelvic Cavity

the space enclosed by the pelvic bones containing the bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum

Pericardial Cavity

the space between the parietal and visceral layers of the serous pericardium that surrounds the heart and roots of the great vessels

Perineal

pertaining to the perineum

Plantar

pertaining to the sole of the foot

Pleural Cavity

a potential space between the visceral and parietal layers of the pleura that surrounds each lung

Pollex

pertaining to the thumb

Popliteal

pertaining to the posterior surface of the knee

Positive Feedback

intensifies a physiological change rather than reversing it

Posterior

toward the back (same as dorsal in humans)

Proximal

closer to the point of origin

Pubic

pertaining to the pubis

Pyresis/Pyretic Response

the body’s regulated increase in temperature in response to certain stimuli

Receptor

an organ or cell able to respond to a stimulus and transmit a signal

Right Hypochondriac Region

upper right part of the abdomen

Right Iliac Region

lower right section of the abdomen

Right Lower Quadrant

lower right part of the abdomen

Right Lumbar Region

middle right section of the abdomen

Right Upper Quadrant

upper right part of the abdomen

Sacral

pertaining to the sacrum

Sagittal

divides the body into right and left sections

Scapular

pertaining to the shoulder or shoulder blade

Set Point

the target physiological value around which the body keeps internal conditions stable

Sternal

pertaining to the sternum

Superficial

structures closer to the surface of the body