Med Term Chap 1 and 2

What does the sagittal plane divide?

Unequal right and left portions of the body

Which plane divides the body into equal right and left halves?

Midsagittal (median) plane

What does the frontal (coronal) plane divide?

Anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.

Which plane divides the body into superior and inferior portions?

Transverse (horizontal) plane

What does ventral mean?

Toward the front (belly side) of the body

Which directional term means toward the back of the body?

Dorsal

What does anterior mean?

Toward the front of the body.

Which directional term means toward the back?

Posterior

What does superior mean?

Above or toward the head.

Which directional term means below or toward the feet?

Inferior

Which directional term means toward the head?

Cephalic

Which directional term means toward the tail or lower part of the body?

Caudal

Which directional term means closer to the point of attachment or origin of a limb?

Proximal

Which directional term means farther from the point of attachment or origin of a limb?

Distal

Which directional term means closer to the body’s midline?

Medial

Which directional term means away from the body’s midline?

Lateral

Where is the cranial cavity located?

Within the skull; contains the brain

Where is the dorsal cavity located?

Along the back of the body; includes the cranial and spinal cavities

Where is the thoracic cavity located, and what does it contain?

Superior to the diaphragm; contains the heart and lungs

Where is the spinal (vertebral) cavity located?

Within the vertebral column; contains the spinal cord

Where is the abdominal cavity located, and what does it contain?

Inferior to the diaphragm; contains most digestive organs

Where is the pelvic cavity located, and what does it contain?

Within the pelvis; contains the urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum

Where is the ventral cavity located?

Along the front (anterior) of the body; includes the thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cavities.

What is a body cavity?

A hollow space within the body that houses and protects internal organs

What is the peritoneum?

A double-layered membrane that supports and protects the abdominal organs.

What does the parietal peritoneum line?

The inner surface of the abdominal wall

What does parietal mean?

Relating to the wall of a body cavity

What is the mesentery?

A double layer of peritoneum that anchors the intestines to the abdominal wall.

What does the visceral peritoneum cover?

The outer surface of the abdominal organs

What does retroperitoneal mean?

Located behind the peritoneum

What is peritonitis?

Inflammation of the peritoneum

What are stem cells?

Undifferentiated cells that can self-renew and develop into specialized cells.

What are somatic (adult) stem cells?

Adult stem cells found in tissues that repair and replace damaged cells.

What does undifferentiated mean?

Not yet specialized in structure or function.

What are embryonic stem cells?

Undifferentiated cells that can develop into almost any cell type in the body

What is stem cell therapy?

A regenerative treatment that uses stem cells to repair damaged tissues or treat disease.

What is a dominant gene?

A gene that is expressed when only one copy is inherited. Examples include Huntington’s disease or freckles

What happens if an individual inherits two recessive alleles?

The recessive trait or disorder is expressed.

What happens if an individual inherits one dominant allele and one recessive allele?

The dominant trait is expressed, and the individual is a carrier if the recessive allele causes a recessive disorder.

What is a genome?

The complete set of an organism’s genetic material.

What is a chromosome?

A genetic structure in the nucleus that contains DNA

What is a somatic cell?

Any body cell except a sex cell (gamete).

How many chromosomes do human somatic cells contain?

46 chromosomes, arranged into 23 pairs

What is a gamete?

A sex cell (egg or sperm) containing 23 chromosomes

What determines a baby’s biological sex?

The father’s X or Y chromosome

What is a somatic cell mutation?

A mutation in body cells that affects the individual but is not inherited.

What is a gametic (germline) mutation?

A mutation in a sex cell that can be passed to offspring.

What is genetic engineering?

The modification of genes for medical or scientific purposes

What are anatomical reference systems?

Standard terms used to describe body planes, directions, and body cavities

What is a tissue?

A group of similar cells that work together to perform a specific function.

What is the structural organization of the human body?

Cell → Tissue → Organ → Organ System → Organism

What is a gland?

A group of specialized cells that produces and secretes substances

What is an adenocarcinoma?

A malignant tumor that arises from glandular tissue

What is an adenoma?

A benign tumor arising from glandular tissue

What is anaplasia?

Loss of normal cell differentiation and structure, characteristic of malignant tumors

What is aplasia?

Failure of an organ or tissue to develop

What is atresia?

Congenital absence or abnormal narrowing of a normal body opening or passage

What is bloodborne transmission?

The spread of pathogens through infected blood or body fluids

What is a communicable disease?

A disease that can be transmitted from one person to another

What is a congenital disorder?

A disorder that is present at birth.

What is dysplasia?

Abnormal development or growth of cells or tissues.

What is an endemic?

The ongoing presence of a disease within a population, group, or area

What is an epigastric region?

The upper middle region of the abdomen, located above the stomach.

What is etiology?

The study of the causes of diseases or abnormal conditions.

What is a functional disorder?

A disorder with symptoms but no identifiable structural or organic cause.

What is a genetic disorder?

A hereditary disorder caused by abnormalities or mutations in genes or chromosomes.

What is hemophilia?

An inherited bleeding disorder caused by deficiency of a clotting factor.

What is hyperplasia?

An increase in the number of cells in a tissue or organ

What is hypertrophy?

A general increase in the bulk of a body part or organ that is due to an increase in the size, but not the number, of cells in the tissue

What is the hypogastric region?

The lower middle region of the abdomen, below the stomach.

What is hypoplasia?

Incomplete or underdevelopment of an organ or tissue due to too few cells.

What is an Iatrogenic illness?

An illness caused unintentionally by medical treatment or a healthcare provider.

Severe burns resulting from radiation therapy are an example of?

Iatrogenic illness

What is an idiopathic disease?

Any disease without a known cause

What is an infectious disease?

A disease caused by pathogenic microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites

What does inguinal mean?

Relating to the groin; the lower lateral region where the thigh meets the abdomen.

What is an intensivist?

A physician specializing in the care of critically ill patients hospitalized in the ICU

What is a nosocomial infection?

A hospital-acquired infection (HAI)

What is the Umbilicus

The navel (belly button); the scar marking where the umbilical cord attached before birth

What is Vector-borne transmission

Transmission of disease through vectors such as mosquitoes, ticks, or fleas.

The stomach is located ___ to the pancreas

Anterior

The pancreas is located ____ to the stomach

Posterior

The lungs are located ___ to the diaphragm

Superior

The stomach is located ____ to the diaphragm

inferior

The ____ end of the humerus forms part of the shoulder

Proximal

The ____ end of the humerus forms part of the elbow

Distal

The ____ ligament of the knee is near the inner surface of the leg

Medial

The ____ ligament of the knee is near the side of the leg

Lateral

What structures are contained within the dorsal body cavity?

• Cranial cavity (brain)
• Vertebral/spinal cavity (spinal cord)

What structures are contained within the ventral body cavity?

• Thoracic cavity
• Abdominal cavity
• Pelvic cavity

What separates the thoracic and abdominal cavities?

The diaphragm

Label the following areas

Where are hematopoietic stem cells commonly collected?

Umbilical cord blood and placenta

Functions of epithelial tissue

• Covers body surfaces
• Lines body cavities and organs
• Forms glands
• Protection, secretion, absorption, filtration

What is epithelium?

Sheets of epithelial cells that cover body surfaces, line organs and cavities, and form glands

What is endothelium?

Specialized simple squamous epithelium lining:

• Blood vessels
• Lymphatic vessels
• Heart

Dense connective tissue

Strong collagen-rich tissue that forms tendons, ligaments, and fascia.

Functions of adipose tissue

• Stores energy

• Insulates

• Cushions and protects organs

Loose connective tissue

Holds organs in place and binds tissue together

Fluid connective tissues

Transport nutrients and waste products throughout the body (ex: blood and lymph)