Digestive, Metabolic, Musculoskeletal, and Reproductive Systems Review

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering key anatomical structures, physiological processes, and pathological conditions across the digestive, metabolic, musculoskeletal, and reproductive systems.

Peritoneum

The serous membrane lining the abdominopelvic cavity, divided into parietal and visceral layers.

Greater Omentum

A double layer of peritoneum hanging from the greater curvature of the stomach that descends anteriorly under itself and attracts fat.

Lesser Omentum

A peritoneal fold extending from the lesser curvature of the stomach to the liver, containing the porta hepatis laterally.

Epiploic Foramen

The anatomical passage connecting the greater and lesser peritoneal sacs.

Chief Cells

Gastric epithelial cells that produce pepsinogen, the inactive precursor enzyme of pepsin.

Parietal Cells

Acidophilic cells in the stomach that produce hydrochloric acid to maintain a gastric $\text{pH}$ of $2$ to $3$.

Brunner's Glands

Submucosal glands in the duodenum that secrete alkaline mucus to neutralize acidic stomach chyme.

Major Duodenal Papilla

The anatomical site where the bile duct and main pancreatic duct enter the duodenum, marking the junction between foregut and midgut.

Lacteals

Lymphatic vessels within small intestinal villi that absorb and transport dietary fats.

Tenia Coli

Three distinct longitudinal muscle bands on the colon that assist in vertical contraction and the formation of haustra.

Coeliac Trunk

The major arterial branch arising from the abdominal aorta at $\text{T12}$ that supplies foregut organs from the esophagus to the duodenum.

Enterokinase

A brush-border enzyme in the small intestine that converts trypsinogen into active trypsin.

Cholecystokinin (CCK)

A peptide hormone released by I cells in the duodenum in response to lipids that stimulates pancreatic enzyme release and gallbladder contraction.

Secretin

A hormone released by S cells in the duodenum in response to low $\text{pH}$ that triggers pancreatic secretion of bicarbonate-rich fluid.

McBurney's Point

A site located two-thirds of the distance from the navel to the right anterior superior iliac spine, where tenderness is maximal in acute appendicitis.

Barrett Metaplasia

The metaplastic transformation of esophageal epithelium from squamous to glandular tissue due to chronic gastric acid exposure in GERD.

Coeliac Disease

An autoimmune enteropathy triggered by gluten ingestion that causes mucosal inflammation, villous atrophy, and crypt hyperplasia.

Steatosis

Reversible accumulation of fat vacuoles within hepatocytes resulting from liver injury or metabolic stress.

Child-Pugh System

A clinical scoring tool assessing ascites, bilirubin, albumin, INR/prothrombin time, and encephalopathy to grade liver dysfunction severity.

Kupffer Cells

Specialized macrophages situated within hepatic sinusoids that phagocytose bacteria and aged red blood cells.

Portal Triad

An anatomical structure comprising a branch of the hepatic portal vein, a branch of the hepatic artery, and a hepatic bile duct.

Short-Chain Fatty Acids (SCFAs)

Microbial fermentation products of dietary fiber (such as acetate, propionate, and butyrate) that serve as key signaling molecules in host physiology.

Dysbiosis

An imbalance in the microbial community composition or function associated with various systemic and gastrointestinal pathologies.

Psychobiotics

Probiotic organisms that exert mental health benefits by influencing neural, immune, endocrine, and metabolic pathways.

Osteon

The fundamental structural unit of compact bone, consisting of concentric lamellae surrounding a central Haversian canal.

Osteoblast

A bone-forming cell derived from mesenchymal stem cells that secretes unmineralized bone matrix (osteoid).

Osteocyte

A mature bone cell housed within lacunae that uses dendritic processes in canaliculi to sense mechanical strain and regulate bone remodeling.

Osteoclast

A multinucleated cell derived from hematopoietic progenitors responsible for bone resorption through acid secretion and enzymatic breakdown.

Parathyroid Hormone (PTH)

A hormone secreted by the parathyroid glands that elevates extracellular fluid calcium by stimulating bone resorption, renal reabsorption, and vitamin D activation.

Calcitonin

A hormone produced by thyroid parafollicular C cells that lowers blood calcium levels by inhibiting osteoclast activity and promoting renal excretion.

Greenstick Fracture

An incomplete pediatric bone fracture where one side of the bone bends while the opposite side breaks.

Osteoarthritis

A non-inflammatory degenerative joint disorder characterized by mechanical cartilage breakdown, subchondral bone remodeling, and osteophyte formation.

Rheumatoid Arthritis

A chronic systemic autoimmune disease characterized by symmetrical joint inflammation, synovial pannus formation, and cartilage destruction.

Gout

An inflammatory arthritis caused by hyperuricemia and the deposition of monosodium urate crystals in joints and soft tissues.

DEXA Scan

Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry used to measure bone mineral density and calculate T-scores for diagnosing osteopenia and osteoporosis.

Osteomalacia

A metabolic bone disorder characterized by defective mineralization of the organic matrix in adults, most commonly caused by severe vitamin D deficiency.

Paget's Disease

A focal disorder of bone remodeling marked by initial excessive osteoclastic resorption followed by chaotic, disorganized new bone formation.

Upper Motor Neurone Lesion

Damage to motor neurons in the central nervous system resulting in spasticity, hyperreflexia, clonus, and a positive Babinski sign.

Lower Motor Neurone Lesion

Damage to peripheral motor nerves or anterior horn cells resulting in flaccidity, hyporeflexia, marked muscle atrophy, and fasciculations.

Guillain-Barré Syndrome

An acute immune-mediated post-infectious polyneuropathy characterized by progressive ascending symmetrical muscle weakness and areflexia.

Charcot-Marie-Tooth Disease

An inherited hereditary peripheral neuropathy affecting myelin structure or axons, presenting with distal muscle weakness, pes cavus, and hammer toes.

Myasthenia Gravis

An autoimmune disease of the postsynaptic neuromuscular junction where autoantibodies target nicotinic acetylcholine receptors, causing fatigable muscle weakness.

Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS)

A neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive degeneration of both upper and lower motor neurons.

Reactive Tendinopathy

A non-inflammatory response of a tendon to acute overload, characterized by cell swelling and water influx while retaining overall structural integrity.

Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy

An X-linked recessive genetic disorder caused by the absence of functional dystrophin protein, leading to progressive muscle degeneration and pseudohypertrophy.

Stratum Functionalis

The superficial functional layer of the endometrium containing spiral glands that proliferates and sheds during the menstrual cycle.

Corpus Luteum

A transient endocrine structure formed from the ovarian follicle after ovulation that secretes progesterone to maintain the uterine lining.

Prolactin

An anterior pituitary hormone that stimulates milk production in breast luminal epithelial cells during pregnancy and lactation.

Spermatogenesis

The process of male gamete development occurring in seminiferous tubules where spermatogonia undergo mitosis and meiosis to yield spermatozoa.

Pampiniform Plexus

A venous network surrounding the testicular artery in the spermatic cord that provides counter-current heat exchange to cool the testes.