Human Body - Chapter 1 Vocabulary

Flashcards covering key vocabulary from Chapter 1: Organization of the Human Body, from Introduction to the Human Body 11th Edition by Tortora and Derrickson.

Anatomy

The science of structure and the relationships among structures.

Physiology

The science of body functions; how the body parts work.

Chemical Level

Includes atoms (smallest units of matter) and molecules (two or more atoms joined together).

Cellular Level

Cells are the basic structural and functional units of an organism.

Tissue Level

Groups of cells and surrounding materials working together to perform a function; four basic types: epithelial, connective, muscular, and nervous.

Organ Level

Composed of two or more different types of tissues with specific functions (e.g., stomach, heart, liver, lungs, brain).

System Level

Related organs with a common function (e.g., digestive system).

Organismal Level

All systems of the body combined to make up an organism.

Integumentary System

Components: Skin, hair, nails, sweat and oil glands. Function: Protection, temperature regulation, waste elimination, Vitamin D production, sensation detection, fat storage.

Skeletal System

Components: Bones, joints, and associated cartilages. Function: Support, protection, muscle attachment, movement assistance, blood cell production, mineral and lipid storage.

Muscular System

Components: Skeletal muscle tissue. Function: Body movements, posture maintenance, heat production.

Nervous System

Components: Brain, spinal cord, nerves, sensory organs. Function: Regulation of body activities through nerve impulses; detects and responds to environmental changes.

Endocrine System

Components: Glands and tissues that produce hormones. Function: Regulation of body activities through hormones transported by the blood.

Cardiovascular System

Components: Blood, heart, and blood vessels. Function: Heart pumps blood; blood carries oxygen, nutrients, CO2, wastes; regulates body fluids, helps defend against disease.

Lymphatic System and Immunity

Components: Lymphatic fluid & vessels; spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, tonsils, B cells, T cells. Function: Returns proteins and fluids to blood; lipid transport; immune responses.

Respiratory System

Components: Lungs and air passageways (pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchial tubes). Function: Oxygen transfer from inhaled air to blood and CO2 from blood to exhaled air; regulates acidity.

Digestive System

Components: Organs of gastrointestinal tract (mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, intestines, rectum, anus); accessory organs (salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, pancreas). Function: Food breakdown, nutrient absorption, waste elimination.

Urinary System

Components: Kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra. Function: Urine production, storage, elimination; waste elimination; blood volume and composition regulation; acid-base balance; mineral balance; red blood cell production regulation.

Reproductive System

Components: Gonads (testes/ovaries) and associated organs; mammary glands. Function: Gamete (sperm/oocytes) production; hormone release; gamete transport and storage; milk production.

Metabolism

The sum of all chemical processes that occur in the body.

Responsiveness

The body’s ability to detect and respond to changes in its environment.

Movement

Motion of the whole body, individual organs, single cells, and organelles.

Growth

An increase in body size.

Differentiation

The process whereby unspecialized cells become specialized cells.

Reproduction

Formation of new cells for growth, repair, or replacement, or production of a new individual.

Homeostasis

Maintenance of relatively stable conditions in the body's internal environment.

Interstitial Fluid

The fluid surrounding body cells, part of the internal environment.

Negative Feedback System

Reverses a change in a controlled condition (e.g., regulation of blood pressure).

Positive Feedback System

Strengthens or reinforces a change in one of the body’s controlled conditions (e.g., normal childbirth).

Disorder

Any abnormality of structure and/or function.

Disease

An illness characterized by a recognizable set of symptoms and signs.

Symptoms

Subjective changes in body functions not apparent to an observer (e.g., headache, anxiety, nausea).

Signs

Objective changes that a clinician can observe and measure (e.g., bleeding, swelling, vomiting, fever).

Aging

A normal process characterized by a progressive decline in the body’s ability to return to homeostasis.

Anatomical Position

Standing erect, facing the observer, head level, eyes forward, lower limbs parallel, feet flat on the floor and directed forward, upper limbs at the sides with palms turned forward.

Prone

Body lying face down.

Supine

Body lying face up.

Superior (Cephalic or Cranial)

Toward the head or the upper part of a structure.

Inferior (Caudal)

Away from the head or the lower part of a structure.

Anterior (Ventral)

Nearer to or at the front of the body.

Posterior (Dorsal)

Nearer to or at the back of the body.

Medial

Nearer to the midline.

Lateral

Farther from the midline.

Ipsilateral

On the same side of the body as another structure.

Contralateral

On the opposite side of the body from another structure.

Proximal

Nearer to the attachment of a limb to the trunk; nearer to the point of origin.

Distal

Farther from the attachment of a limb to the trunk; farther from the point of origin.

Superficial (External)

Toward or on the surface of the body.

Deep (Internal)

Away from the surface of the body.

Sagittal Plane

A vertical plane that divides the body or an organ into right and left sides.

Midsagittal Plane

A sagittal plane that passes through the midline and divides the body or organ into equal right and left sides.

Frontal (Coronal) Plane

Divides the body or an organ into anterior (front) and posterior (back) portions.

Transverse Plane

Divides the body or an organ into superior and inferior portions.

Body Cavities

Spaces within the body that contain, protect, separate, and support internal organs.

Cranial Cavity

Formed by the cranial bones and contains the brain.

Vertebral Canal

Formed by the bones of the vertebral column and contains the spinal cord.

Thoracic Cavity

Chest cavity; contains pleural and pericardial cavities and mediastinum.

Abdominopelvic Cavity

Subdivided into abdominal and pelvic cavities.

Abdominal Cavity

Contains stomach, spleen, liver, gallbladder, small intestine, and most of large intestine; the serous membrane is the peritoneum.

Pelvic Cavity

Contains urinary bladder, portions of large intestine, and internal organs of reproduction.