BIOL1202 Chapter 40 Crossword Terms

organ

a specialized center of a body function composed of several different types of tissues

sensor

in homeostasis, a receptor that detects a stimulus

fibroblast

a type of cell in loose connective tissue that secretes the protein ingredients of the extracellular fibers

stimulus

in feedback regulation, a fluctuation in a variable that triggers a response

integumentary system

the outer covering of a mammal’s body, including skin, hair, and nails, claws, or hooves (2 words)

torpor

a physiological state in which activity is low and metabolism decreases

physiology

the processes and functions of an organism

basal metabolic rate

the metabolic rate of a resting, fasting, and nonstressed endotherm at a comfortable temperature (3 words)

organ system

a group of organs that work together in performing vital body functions (2 words)

endocrine system

in animals, the internal system of communication involving hormones, the ductless glands that secrete hormones, and the molecular receptors on or in target cells that respond to hormones; functions in concert with the nervous system to effect internal regulation and maintain homeostasis (2 words)

response

in cellular communication, the change in a specific cellular activity brought about by a transduced signal from outside the cell; or in feedback regulation, a physiological activity triggered by a change in a variable

hormone

in multicellular organisms, one of many types of secreted chemicals that are formed in specialized cells, travel in body fluids, and act on specific target cells in other parts of the organism, changing the target cells’ functioning

countercurrent exchange

the exchange of a substance or heat between two fluids flowing in opposite directions. for example, blood in a fish gill flows in the opposite direction of water passing over the gill, maximizing diffusion of oxygen into and carbon dioxide out of the blood (2 words)

interstitial fluid

the fluid filling the spaces between cells in most animals (2 words)

set point

in homeostasis in animals, a value maintained for a particular variable, such as body temperature or solute concentration (2 words)

hypothalmus

the ventral part of the vertebrate forebrain; functions in maintaining homeostasis, especially in coordinating the endocrine and nervous systems; secretes hormones of the posterior pituitary and releasing factors that regulate the anterior pituitary

negative feedback

a form of regulation in which accumulation of an end product of a process slows the process; in physiology, a primary mechanism of homeostasis, whereby a change in a variable triggers a response that counteracts the initial change (2 words)

positive feedback

a form of regulation in which an end product of a process speeds up that process; in physiology, control mechanism in which a change in a variable triggers a response that reinforces or amplifies the change (2 words)

connective tissue

animal tissue that functions mainly to bind and support other tissues, having a sparse population of cells scattered through an extracellular matrix (2 words)

bioenergetics

the overall flow and transformation of energy in an organism; or the study of how energy flows through organisms

standard metabolic rate

metabolic rate of resting, fasting, and non-stressed ectotherm at a particular temperature (3 words)

smooth muscle

a type of muscle lacking the striations of skeletal and cardiac muscle because of the uniform distribution of myosin filaments in the cells; responsible for involuntary body activities (2 words)

hibernation

a long-term physiological state in which metabolism decreases, the heart and respiratory system slow down, and the body temperature is maintained at a lower level than normal

muscle tissue

tissue consisting of long ______ cells that can contract, either on its own or when stimulated by nerve impulses (2 words)

neuron

a nerve cell; the fundamental unit of the nervous system, having structure and properties that allow it to conduct signals by taking advantage of the electrical charge across its plasma membrane

thermoregulation

the maintenance of internal body temperature within a tolerable range

circadian rhythm

a physiological cycle of about 24 hours that persists even in the absence of external cues (2 words)

tissue

an integrated group of cells with a common structure, function, or both

skeletal muscle

a type of striated muscle that is generally responsible for the voluntary movements of body (2 words)

epithelial tissue

sheets of tightly packed cells that line organs and body cavities as well as external surfaces (2 words)

blood

a connective tissue with a fluid matrix called plasma in which red blood cells, white blood cells, and cell fragments called platelets are suspended

cardiac muscle

a type of striated muscle that forms the contractile wall of the heart. its cells are joined by intercalated disks that relay the electrical signals underlying each heartbeat (2 words)

acclimatization

physiological adjustment to change in an environmental factor

macrophage

a cell present in many tissues that functions in innate immunity by destroying microbes and in acquired immunity as an antigen presenting cell

epithelium

an epithelial tissue

regulator

an animal for which mechanisms of homeostasis moderate internal changes in a particular variable in the face of external fluctuation of that variable

bone

a connective tissue consisting of living cells held in a rigid matrix of collagen fibers embedded in calcium salt

anatomy

the structure of an organism

endothermic

referring to organisms that are warmed by heat generated by their own metabolism. this heat usually maintains a relatively stable body temperature higher than the external environment

conformer

an animal for which an internal condition conforms to (changes in accordance with) changes in an environment variable

glia

cells of the nervous system that support, regulate, and augment the functions of neurons

nervous system

in animals, the fast-acting internal system of communication involving sensory receptors, networks of nerve cells, and connections to muscles and glands that respond to nerve signals; functions in concert with the endocrine system to effect internal regulation and maintain homeostasis (2 words)

homeostasis

the steadystate physiological condition of the body

ectothermic

referring to organisms for which external sources provide most of the heat for temperature regualtion

metabolic rate

the total amount of energy an animal uses in a unit of time (2 words)