Biological Locomotion and Skeletal Systems

Vocabulary flashcards covering the biological mechanisms of hearing, locomotion types, skeletal structures, muscle functions, and joint anatomy.

Coiled structure (Ear)

A structure that detects sound intensity and frequency and transduces sounds to generate nerve impulses.

Auditory nerve

The nerve that carries impulses from the ear to the brain.

Deafness

An ear disorder where hearing is impaired or diminished, caused by factors such as wax blockage, loud sounds, or infections.

Eustachian tube

The tube through which some throat infections are transmitted to the middle ear.

Locomotion

The movement of an entire organism from one place to another, a capability unique to animals.

Skeleton

Any firm structure that gives mechanical support to the body and provides protection to softer body parts.

Hydrostatic Skeleton

A type of skeleton made of watery fluids found inside the body of soft-bodied invertebrates like earthworms, hydra, and snails.

Incompressible

A characteristic of water used in hydrostatic skeletons meaning it cannot be easily compressed.

Exoskeleton

A skeleton located outside the muscles of the body, occuring in all arthropods such as crustaceans, insects, myriapods, and arachnids.

Cuticle

The insect exoskeleton largely made of a polysaccharide called chitin covered with a thin layer of wax.

Epicuticle

The waxy thin outer layer of the insect cuticle.

Procuticle

The inner layer of the insect cuticle made of two layers: the exocuticle and endocuticle.

Endoskeleton

A skeleton located inside the body made of bones and cartilage, found in all vertebrates.

Cartilage

A firm and flexible rubber-like tissue made of living cells and collagen fibres embedded in a matrix of chondrin.

Chondrin

The matrix in which living cells and collagen fibres are embedded to form cartilage.

Bone

A tissue made of living cells and collagen fibres in a matrix of calcium phosphate and magnesium salts.

Lacunae

Structures in bone tissue where living cells reside.

Haversian system

A system formed by several concentric rings of bone matrix.

Canaliculi

Channels of cytoplasm that link lacunae to each other in bone tissue.

Haversian canal

The central space of the Haversian system containing blood vessels, nerves, and lymphatic vessels.

Volkmann canal

A transverse extension from the haversian canal that links it to the bone marrow.

Axial skeleton

Region of the human skeleton made of the skull, vertebral column (spine), ribs, and sternum.

Appendicular skeleton

Region of the human skeleton made of the limbs and girdles.

Pectoral girdle

The structure linking fore limbs to the axial skeleton, comprised of shoulder blades (scapulas) and collar bones (clavicles).

Pelvic girdle

Also called the pelvis, it links hind limbs to the axial skeleton and is made of the pubis, ilium, and ischium.

Vertebrae

The individual bones that make up the vertebral column.

Cervical vertebrae

A group of $7$ vertebrae located in the neck region.

Thoracic vertebrae

A group of $12$ vertebrae located in the chest region.

Lumbar vertebrae

A group of $5$ vertebrae located in the abdominal region or loin.

Sacral vertebrae

A group of $5$ vertebrae located in the hip region.

Caudal vertebrae (Coccyx)

A group of $4$ vertebrae located in the tail region.

Neural spine

A projection on top of the neural arch providing surface for the attachment of muscles and ligaments.

Neural canal

The opening in the centre of the neural arch that serves as the passage for the spinal cord.

Centrum

The solid central part of the vertebra that binds to the intervertebral disc.

Cardiac muscle

Myogenic (self-stimulating) muscle found in the heart that does not get fatigued.

Smooth muscle (Visceral muscle)

Involuntary, spindle-shaped muscle cells found in the walls of body tubes and organs.

Skeletal muscle (Striated muscle)

Multinucleated, voluntary muscles attached to the skeleton that play a major role in locomotion.

Antagonistic muscles

Pairs of muscles, such as biceps and triceps, which produce movement in opposite directions at the same joint.

Flexor muscle

A muscle that causes bending of the joint when it contracts, such as the biceps.

Extensor muscle

A muscle that causes extending of the joint when it contracts, such as the triceps.

Fibrous Joints

Immovable joints where bones are tightly held by short, tough fibres, such as the sutures of the skull.

Cartilaginous Joints

Slightly movable joints where bones are held together by cartilage, such as intervertebral discs.

Synovial Joints

Movable joints containing a cavity with synovial fluid that allow movement in one or more planes.

Hinge joints

Synovial joints allowing movement in only one plane, usually through an angle of $180^\circ$.

Ligament

Elastic fibrous tissue made of yellow elastin that joins bone to bone.

Tendon

Tough and inelastic fibrous protein made of collagen that joins muscle to bone.

Gout

A condition characterized by the formation of uric acid crystals at the joints, causing swelling and pain.

Arthritis

Inflammation of joints that initially affects synovial membranes and eventually damages cartilage and bone.

Tuberculosis of the Bones

The formation of tubercles in the bones caused by infection with Mycobacterium tuberculosis.