Comprehensive Human Anatomy & Physiology: Key Concepts and Systems

What is anatomy?

The study of the structure of an organism.

What is physiology?

The study of how an organism's body functions.

What is developmental anatomy?

The study of changes in the human body during growth from child to adult.

What does embryology focus on?

The study of anatomy during the first 8 weeks after conception.

What is surface anatomy?

The study of the outside of the body using touch.

What is regional anatomy?

A specialized focus on one portion of the body.

What is gross anatomy?

A general overview of large portions of the body at one time.

What is microscopic anatomy?

The study of cells and tissues only seen with a microscope.

What is systematic anatomy?

The study of one body system at a time.

What is the smallest unit of all living things?

The cell.

What is the function of the skeletal system?

Provides support and protection, gives body shape.

What are the major organs of the skeletal system?

Bones, ligaments, cartilage, joints.

What is the function of the nervous system?

Detects impulses from the senses; serves as the control center.

What are the major organs of the nervous system?

Brain, spinal cord, senses, nerves.

What is the function of the circulatory system?

Transports nutrients and gases around the body.

What are the major organs of the circulatory system?

Heart, blood vessels, blood.

What is the function of the respiratory system?

Exchanges gases (oxygen & CO2).

What are the major organs of the respiratory system?

Lungs, sinuses, diaphragm.

What is the function of the digestive system?

Breaks down and absorbs food.

What are the major organs of the digestive system?

Mouth, esophagus, stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder.

What is the function of the muscular system?

Provides movement for all parts of the body.

What are the major organs of the muscular system?

Skeletal and smooth muscles.

What is the function of the integumentary system?

Protects the body, regulates temperature, and prevents water loss.

What are the major organs of the integumentary system?

Skin, hair, nails.

What is the function of the lymphatic system?

Fights infection and provides fluid for cells.

What are the major organs of the lymphatic system?

Spleen, thymus gland, lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes.

What is the function of the urinary system?

Removes waste from the blood.

What are the major organs of the urinary system?

Kidneys, bladder, ureters, urethra.

What is the function of the endocrine system?

Secretes hormones.

What are the major organs of the endocrine system?

Glands such as hypothalamus, pineal, pituitary, thyroid, parathyroids, thymus, adrenals, pancreas, ovaries or testes.

What is the function of the reproductive system?

Produces cells used in sexual reproduction.

What are the major organs of the female reproductive system?

Ovaries, vagina, uterus, mammary glands.

What are the major organs of the male reproductive system?

Testes, penis, prostate gland.

What is the anatomical position?

The body is straight with feet slightly apart and thumbs pointed away from the body.

What are the three major body cavities?

Dorsal, thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic.

What is the function of the serosa membranes?

They protect the organs within the ventral body cavities.

What are the four types of tissues in the human body?

Muscular, Connective, Nervous, Epithelial

What is the primary function of muscular tissue?

Movement of the skeleton, beating of the heart, and movement of food through the digestive system.

What does connective tissue do?

It makes up bone, cartilage, and blood, connecting organs together.

What is the role of nervous tissue?

It conducts electrical impulses through the brain, spinal cord, and nerves.

What is the function of epithelial tissue?

It makes up skin, lining of internal pathways, and glands.

What is the function of the nucleus in an animal cell?

It serves as the control center and contains genetic information.

What is the role of the endoplasmic reticulum?

It synthesizes proteins and ships them around the cell, and can be smooth or rough.

What do mitochondria do?

They convert food into ATP (adenosine triphosphate).

What is the function of the Golgi apparatus?

It transports materials around the cell in sacs called vesicles.

What do lysosomes do?

They break down waste.

What is the role of centrioles?

They aid in cell division.

What do vacuoles store?

They store nutrients and water.

How many chromosomes are found in every body cell of the human body?

46 chromosomes made of DNA.

What is the structure of DNA?

DNA is shaped like a twisted ladder, known as a double helix.

What are the sides and rungs of the DNA ladder made of?

The sides are made of sugar and phosphate molecules, while the rungs are made of nitrogen bases (adenine, thymine, cytosine, and guanine).

What is the principle of base pairing in DNA?

Adenine (A) always bonds with Thymine (T), and Cytosine (C) always bonds with Guanine (G).

What is a gene?

A section of DNA that codes for a protein.

What are the two major processes used to create proteins?

Transcription and translation.

What happens during transcription?

The DNA code is converted into an mRNA message.

What is the role of tRNA during translation?

tRNA molecules bring in amino acids that match with the codons on the mRNA.

What is the outcome of linking amino acids during translation?

They form a polypeptide chain that eventually folds into a protein.

What is mitosis?

The period of division in somatic (body) cells, resulting in two identical daughter cells.

What is meiosis?

The period of division in sex cells (gametes), resulting in four different daughter cells.

What is the function of the cell membrane?

It is a specialized, semi-permeable barrier that controls the movement of substances in and out of the cell.

What is passive transport?

The movement of molecules from high concentration to low concentration without requiring energy.

What is facilitated diffusion?

The process where larger molecules are helped across the membrane by protein channels.

What is active transport?

The movement of molecules from low concentration to high concentration, which requires energy.

What are the two main types of active transport?

Endocytosis (into the cell) and Exocytosis (out of the cell).

What are the levels of organization in the human body?

Cell, Tissue, Organ, Organ System, Organism

Give an example of anatomy in the human body.

The structure of the heart.

Give an example of physiology in the human body.

The process of blood circulation.

What are the two major sections of the dorsal cavity?

Cranial cavity and Vertebral cavity.

What are the five survival needs for humans?

Nutrients, Oxygen, Water, Temperature, Atmospheric pressure.

What organs are found in the abdominal cavity?

Stomach, Liver, Intestines, Kidneys.

Which body cavity is directly superior to the abdomen?

Thoracic cavity.

Describe the anatomical position.

Standing upright, facing forward, arms at the sides, palms facing forward.

What type of plane divides the human body into top and bottom halves?

Transverse plane.

How can the abdominal cavity be divided?

Into 9 regions: Right Hypochondriac, Epigastric, Left Hypochondriac, Right Lumbar, Umbilical, Left Lumbar, Right Iliac, Hypogastric, Left Iliac.

Where is genetic information found within a cell?

In the nucleus.

What is the shape of DNA called?

Double helix.

In what process is DNA copied into mRNA?

Transcription.

In what process is mRNA converted into proteins?

Translation.

What type of transport is required to pump waste out of a cell?

Active transport.

Name two differences between mitosis and meiosis.

Mitosis results in two identical daughter cells; meiosis results in four genetically diverse gametes.

What organelle is responsible for storing food and water?

Vacuole.

How are totipotent stem cells different from unipotent stem cells?

Totipotent stem cells can develop into any cell type; unipotent stem cells can only develop into one cell type.

What is the principle of complementarity?

Function reflects structure; the form of a structure relates to its function.

How does endocytosis differ from exocytosis?

Endocytosis is the process of taking substances into the cell; exocytosis is the process of expelling substances from the cell.

Identify the stimulus, receptor, control center, and effector in the process of morning sunlight affecting melatonin production.

Stimulus: Morning sunlight; Receptor: Pineal gland; Control center: Brain; Effector: Decreased melatonin production.

Levels of Organization

Chemical → Organelle → Cell → Tissue → Organ → Organ System → Organism

Endocrine System

Glands & hormones

Lymphatic System

Immunity & fluid balance

Nervous System

Communication & control

Cardiovascular System

Transport

Dorsal Body Cavity

Cranial and vertebral cavities containing the brain & spinal cord

Ventral Body Cavity

Thoracic, abdominal, and pelvic cavities containing lungs, stomach, ovaries

Thoracic Cavity

Contains pleural and mediastinum

Abdominal Cavity

Contains digestive organs

Directional Terms

Inferior/superior, lateral/medial, proximal/distal, superficial/deep

Planes of the Body

Sagittal (median/midsagittal), frontal, transverse

Cell Transport - Passive

Diffusion (simple, facilitated), osmosis

Cell Transport - Active

Requires energy (ATP)

DNA Base Pairing

A-T, C-G

Transcription

DNA → mRNA