Anatomy, Physiology, and Immune System Vocabulary

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms from anatomy, physiology, and the immune system.

Anatomy

The study of the structure of the body and its parts; what the body looks like and where everything is located.

Physiology

The study of how the body and its parts function; how organs, tissues, and cells work.

Pathology

The study of disease, including its causes, processes, and effects on the body.

Immune System

A complex network of cells, tissues, and organs that protects the body from disease-causing invaders like bacteria, viruses, and fungi.

Immunity

The body's ability to resist a particular infection or toxin.

Innate Immunity

The non-specific, natural defense system you are born with; includes barriers like skin and general defense cells that attack any foreign invader.

Adaptive Immunity

A specific, learned immunity that develops over your lifetime and remembers specific pathogens it has encountered before.

Lymphocyte

A type of white blood cell that is a key part of the immune system (includes T-cells and B-cells).

Phagocyte

A type of immune cell that protects the body by ingesting harmful foreign particles, bacteria, and dead or dying cells.

Macrophage

A large, specialized type of phagocyte that patrols the body for pathogens and other foreign particles.

T-cells

A type of lymphocyte that plays a central role in adaptive immunity by destroying infected cells and coordinating the immune response.

B-cells

A type of lymphocyte that produces antibodies to fight off specific pathogens.

Vaccine

A substance used to stimulate the production of antibodies and provide immunity against a disease without causing illness.

Antibiotic

A medicine that inhibits the growth of or destroys bacteria; it is not effective against viruses.

Antiviral

A drug used to treat viral infections.

Allergen

A substance that causes an allergic reaction; normally harmless but the body's immune system mistakenly identifies as a threat.

Lymph Node

Small organs of the immune system that filter the lymphatic fluid and trap pathogens; they often swell when you are sick.

Spleen

An organ that acts as a filter for blood and helps the immune system by storing and creating certain types of immune cells.

Thymus

A small gland where T-cells mature and are trained not to attack the body's own cells.

Fever

An elevated body temperature that is often a sign of an immune response to an infection; it can help kill pathogens that are sensitive to temperature.

Autoimmunity

The state where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body's own healthy tissues.

Immunosuppression

The reduction of the activation or effectiveness of the immune system; can be caused by disease or medication.

Acquired Immunity

Immunity that develops after exposure to an infection or through vaccination.