Physiology and Body Systems

These flashcards cover key vocabulary terms and concepts from the physiology lecture notes, focusing on body systems and processes.

Homeostasis

The principle of 'many parts working as one' to maintain stable internal conditions in the body.

Mitochondria

Cell organelles that utilize aerobic mechanisms (electron transport chain) to produce ATP.

Phospholipid Bilayer

A double layer of phospholipids that forms the membranes of cells, arranged according to their hydrophobic tails and hydrophilic heads.

Transmembrane Protein Transport

The process by which proteins facilitate the movement of molecules across a cell membrane.

Active Transport

The movement of substances across a membrane requiring energy, usually against their concentration gradient.

Nernst Equation

An equation used to determine the electrical potential difference needed to counteract the concentration gradient of a specific ion.

Motor Unit

A single motor neuron plus all of the muscle fibers it innervates.

Sarcoplasmic Reticulum

The organelle responsible for storing intracellular calcium in muscle cells.

Depolarization

The process of reducing the membrane potential, typically involving the influx of sodium ions.

Vasodilation

The widening of blood vessels in response to certain stimuli, such as low oxygen levels, that increases blood flow.