Human Physiology - Chapter 1: The Study of Body Function

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms, mechanisms, tissue types, and physiological concepts from Chapter 1.

Physiology

The study of biological function and how the body works, emphasizing normal mechanisms and cause-and-effect sequences derived from scientific experiments.

Pathophysiology

The study of how disease or injury affects physiological processes to aid in understanding normal body functions.

Comparative Physiology

The study of differences and similarities in the functions of invertebrates and vertebrates, which aids in drug development.

Phase I Clinical Trials

Clinical trials that test a potential drug on healthy human volunteers to evaluate safety, side effects, rates of passage, and proper dosage.

Phase II Clinical Trials

Clinical trials that test the effectiveness of a drug on human subjects who have the specific target disease.

Phase III Clinical Trials

Clinical trials conducted on a large, diverse population across age groups, sexes, ethnicities, and health conditions before FDA approval.

Phase IV Clinical Trials

Clinical trials performed after FDA approval to test additional potential applications for a drug.

Homeostasis

The dynamic constancy of the internal environment maintained by physiological mechanisms.

Sensor

A receptor in a feedback loop that detects deviations from a set point in a physiological variable and sends information to an integrating center.

Integrating Center

A component in a feedback loop that assesses changes around a set point and sends instructions to effectors.

Effector

A muscle or gland that responds to signals from an integrating center to make appropriate adjustments to counter deviations from a set point.

Antagonistic Effectors

Opposing effectors that move body conditions in opposite directions to maintain dynamic constancy within a normal range.

Positive Feedback Loop

A regulatory mechanism in which the action of effectors amplifies or accelerates the changes that originally stimulated the system.

Intrinsic Regulation

Regulation of organ processes wherein cells within the organ directly sense changes and signal neighboring cells to respond.

Extrinsic Regulation

Regulation of an organ by external control systems, specifically the nervous system or endocrine system.

Skeletal Muscle

Voluntary, striated muscle tissue composed of multinucleated myofibers arranged in parallel bundles, typically attached to bones.

Cardiac Muscle

Involuntary, striated muscle tissue found only in the heart, composed of myocardial cells interconnected by intercalated discs.

Smooth Muscle

Involuntary, non-striated muscle tissue located in the walls of hollow organs such as digestive, urinary, and reproductive tracts.

Peristalsis

Coordinated, wave-like contractions of smooth muscle layers that propel substances through hollow organs.

Dendrites

Short, highly branched cytoplasmic extensions of neurons that receive input signals from other cells.

Axon

A long, single extension of a neuron that conducts nerve impulses away from the cell body toward target cells.

Neuroglia

Supporting cells in nervous tissue that do not conduct electrical impulses but are essential for neuron function.

Simple Epithelium

An epithelial tissue layer consisting of a single layer of cells specialized for substance transport, absorption, or filtration.

Stratified Epithelium

An epithelial tissue composed of two or more cell layers specialized primarily for protection.

Exocrine Glands

Glands derived from epithelial tissue that secrete products through ducts onto an epithelial surface.

Endocrine Glands

Ductless glands derived from epithelial tissue that secrete regulatory hormones directly into blood capillaries.

Fibroblast

The predominant cell type in connective tissue proper, responsible for secreting most of the extracellular matrix components.

Osteocytes

Mature bone cells residing inside lacunae within the calcified matrix of bone tissue.

Totipotent Stem Cells

Stem cells, such as zygotes, that possess the ability to differentiate into any type of cell in the body or placenta.

Pluripotent Stem Cells

Embryonic stem cells capable of differentiating into all cell types of the body except the placenta.

Multipotent Stem Cells

Adult stem cells restricted to producing a limited range of related specialized cell types.

Intracellular Compartment

The fluid portion located inside cells, containing approximately $65\%$ of total body water.

Extracellular Compartment

The fluid portion located outside of cells, subdivided into blood plasma and interstitial fluid.