BIOS-150: Human Biology Study Notes

BIOS-150: Human Biology - Week 1: Foundations of Human Biology

Lecture Objectives

  • Navigate the course and Canvas shell.

  • Explain the role of human biology in healthcare.

  • Break down medical terms into prefixes, roots, and suffixes.

  • Identify key anatomical terms and their meanings.

  • Understand how medical terminology aids communication in healthcare.

Organization of the Human Body

  • The body is built from small units working together:- Cells → form Tissues → build Organs → create Organ Systems.

  • Each level plays a role in keeping the body healthy.- ဤ Understanding these layers helps healthcare workers find and treat the source of health problems from cells to entire systems.

Human Body Systems - Overview

  • The body’s systems work together, not in isolation.

  • Grouped by function to better understand how the body works.

  • Each system plays a role in everyday tasks like:- Movement

    • Breathing

    • Digestion

    • Immunity

  • Exploration of four key categories:1. Control & Communication

    1. Energy & Resource

    2. Movement & Support

    3. Defense & Reproduction

Human Body Systems - Control & Communication Systems

  • These systems send signals and maintain balance in the body:- Nervous System:

    • Controls movement, senses, breathing, and thought.

    • Acts as the body’s command center.

    • Endocrine System:

    • Releases hormones to regulate growth, metabolism, stress response.

    • Works slowly but affects long-term processes.

Human Body Systems - Overview (Input and Waste)

  • These systems bring in what the body needs and remove waste:- Respiratory System:

    • Delivers oxygen and removes carbon dioxide.

    • Digestive System:

    • Breaks down food and absorbs nutrients.

    • Circulatory System:

    • Moves oxygen, nutrients, and waste throughout the body.

    • Urinary System:

    • Filters waste from the blood and produces urine.

Human Body Systems - Movement & Support Systems

  • These systems allow physical activity and structural stability:- Skeletal System:

    • Provides support, protects organs, and produces blood cells.

    • Muscular System:

    • Works with bones to allow movement and generate heat.

Human Body Systems - Defense & Reproduction Systems

  • These systems protect the body and ensure the survival of the species:- Immune System:

    • Fights infection and disease.

    • Integumentary System:

    • Skin, hair, and nails form a barrier against germs.

    • Genital System:

    • Enables reproduction and passes on genetic material.

Types of Healthcare Professionals: Direct & Diagnostic Roles

Direct Patient Care

  • Nurses (RNs, LPNs): Provide care, administer medications, educate patients.

  • Physicians (MDs/DOs): Diagnose, treat, and manage illness.

  • Physical Therapists: Support recovery of movement and strength.

  • CNAs: Assist with basic daily tasks (bathing, feeding, dressing).

  • Respiratory Therapists: Help with breathing treatments and ventilators.

  • Pharmacists: Ensure safe, effective use of medications.

Diagnostic & Laboratory Roles

  • Lab Technicians: Analyze blood, urine, and other samples.

  • Radiologic Technologists: Use imaging (X-rays, MRI, CT).

  • Phlebotomists: Draw blood for testing or donation.

Types of Healthcare Professionals: Public Health & Administrative Roles

Public Health & Health Education

  • Health Educators: Teach wellness and disease prevention.

  • Epidemiologists: Investigate disease outbreaks and patterns.

  • Community Health Workers: Support underserved populations.

Administrative & Support Roles

  • Medical Coders/Billers: Translate services into billing codes.

  • Health Information Technicians: Manage patient records.

  • Medical Office Assistants: Schedule, check-in, and support operations.

What Healthcare Workers Need to Know

Foundational Knowledge

  • Basic human biology is essential for understanding health, disease, and treatment.

  • Without it, symptoms, tests, and treatments don’t make sense.

Core Skills Beyond Science

  • Communication: Speak clearly and compassionately with patients and team members.

  • Critical Thinking: Make fast, informed decisions in urgent situations.

  • Teamwork: Collaborate with professionals across specialties.

Education Pathways

  • Entry roles: CNA, Phlebotomist – a few months of training.

  • Mid-level roles: Nursing, Respiratory Therapy – 2–4 years.

  • Advanced roles: PTs, Physicians, NPs – 6+ years including clinical training.

  • ဥ Growth Over Time: Start small, gain experience, return to school, and move up in your healthcare career.

Medical Terminology as a Puzzle

  • Most terms are built from 3 parts:- Prefix: Beginning.

    • Root: Core meaning.

    • Suffix: Ending.

  • Together, they create a complete medical term like puzzle pieces form a picture.- ဤ Tip: Remember PRS (like “purse”): Prefix – Root – Suffix.

    • Learn the parts, and you can decode almost any medical term!

Medical Terminology as a Puzzle - Prefixes

  • Prefixes appear at the beginning of medical terms and often describe time, amount, location, or size.- Recognizing prefixes helps you quickly understand unfamiliar terms:

    • Prefix | Meaning | Example- brady- | Slow | bradycardia = slow heart rate

      • tachy- | Fast | tachypnea = fast breathing

      • hyper- | above/too much | hypertension = high blood pressure

      • hypo- | below/too little | hypoglycemia = low blood sugar

      • intra- | within/inside | intravenous = within a vein

      • sub- | under/below | subcutaneous = under the skin

      • pre- | before | prenatal = before birth

      • post- | after | postoperative = after surgery

Medical Terminology as a Puzzle - Word Roots

  • The word root is the core part of a medical term that tells you what the term is about, often a body part or system.

  • Most have one root, but some may have more:- Root | Meaning | Example

    • cardi | heart | cardiology = study of the heart

    • neur | nerve | neurology = study of the nervous system

    • gastr | stomach | gastritis = stomach inflammation

    • hepat | liver | hepatitis = liver inflammation

    • oste | bone | osteoporosis = porous bones

    • derm | skin | dermatology = study of the skin

    • cyt | cell | cytology = study of cells

Medical Terminology as a Puzzle - Suffixes

  • Suffixes come at the end of medical terms and describe a condition, procedure, or specialty.

  • Suffixes often tell you what is happening with the root word:- Suffix | Meaning | Example

    • -itis | inflammation | arthritis = joint inflammation

    • -logy | study of | biology = study of life

    • -ectomy | surgical removal | appendectomy = removal of appendix

    • -algia | pain | neuralgia = nerve pain

    • -emia | blood condition | anemia = lack of red blood cells

    • -pathy | disease | neuropathy = nerve disease

    • -gram | record or image | electrocardiogram = heart recording

Anatomical Position: The Starting Point For All Terms

  • Anatomical position is a universal reference used in healthcare to ensure clear, consistent communication.

  • The Body in Anatomical Position:- Standing upright.

    • Facing forward.

    • Arms at the sides.

    • Palms facing forward (thumbs out).

    • Feet slightly apart, toes forward.

  • Why It Matters:- ✅ Standard reference for all anatomical terms.

    • ✅ Used regardless of the patient’s actual position.

    • ✅ Foundation for directional terms like anterior, medial, proximal, etc.

Directional Terms: The Language of Position

  • Category | Term | Definition | Example - Front vs. Back

    • Anterior (ventral) | Toward the front of the body | The chest is anterior to the spine

    • Posterior (dorsal) | Toward the back of the body | The spine is posterior to the heart

    • Top vs. Bottom

    • Superior | Above or toward the head | The head is superior to the shoulders

    • Inferior | Below or toward the feet | The stomach is inferior to the lungs

    • Midline vs. Side

    • Medial | Toward the midline of the body | The nose is medial to the eyes

    • Lateral | Away from the midline | The ears are lateral to the nose

    • Closer vs. Farther from Attachment

    • Proximal | Closer to the point of limb attachment | The elbow is proximal to the wrist

    • Distal | Farther from the point of limb attachment | The fingers are distal to the elbow

    • Surface vs. Deep

    • Superficial | Near the surface of the body | The skin is superficial to the muscles

    • Deep | Farther below the surface of the body | The bones are deep to the skin

Body Planes: Slicing the Body

  • Sagittal plane:- Vertically oriented plane that divides the body into right and left parts.

    • "Saggital" means "arrow".

  • Transverse plane (axial, transaxial):- Horizontal plane, parallel to long axis of the body/organ imaged.

    • Divides into superior and inferior parts.

  • Coronal plane:- Vertically oriented plane that divides body into anterior and posterior parts.

    • Think "corona" or crown.

Regional Terms: Abdominal Quadrants and Regions

  • Right Upper Quadrant: - Contains stomach, liver, gall bladder, right adrenal gland, right kidney, duodenum, pancreas, transverse colon, ascending colon.

  • Left Upper Quadrant: - Contains left adrenal gland, spleen, left kidney, descending colon, small intestine, left ureter.

  • Right Lower Quadrant: - Contains appendix, cecum, right ureter, reproductive organs (ovary, fallopian tube, spermatic cord).

  • Left Lower Quadrant: - Contains left ureter, sigmoid colon, reproductive organs (ovary, fallopian tube, spermatic cord).

  • Regional Terms:- Right Hypochondriac Region, Epigastric Region, Left Hypochondriac Region, Right Lumbar Region, Left Lumbar Region, Umbilical Region, Hypogastric (Pubic) Region, Right Iliac (Inguinal) Region, Left Iliac (Inguinal) Region.

Regional Terms: Head and Shoulders

  • Cephalic: Head

  • Facial: Face

  • Cranial: Top of head

  • Frontal: Forehead

  • Nasal: Nose

  • Temporal: Sides of the skull in front of the ears

  • Occipital: Back of head

  • Orbital/Ocular: Eye

  • Auris/Otic: Ear

  • Oris/Oral: Mouth

  • Buccal: Cheek

  • Maxillae: Upper jaw

  • Mandible: Lower jaw

  • Mental: Chin

  • Cervical: Neck

  • Nuchal: Nape (back) of neck

  • Acromial: Shoulder

Regional Terms: Upper Limb

  • Axillary: Armpit

  • Brachial: Arm

  • Antecubital: Front of elbow

  • Olecranon: Back of elbow

  • Antebrachium: Forearm

  • Radial: Thumb side

  • Ulnar: Pinky side

  • Carpus/Carpal: Wrist

  • Palmar: Palm

  • Pollux: Thumb

  • Digital: Fingers

Regional Terms: Torso

  • Thoracic: Chest cavity

  • Pectoral: Upper chest

  • Abdomen: Area between thorax and pelvis

  • Mammary: Breast

  • Umbilicus: Navel

  • Coxal: Hip

  • Pelvic: Pelvis

  • Inguinal: Groin

  • Scapular: Shoulder blade

  • Vertebral: Vertebrae

  • Lumbar: Lower back

  • Sacral: Area between hips

  • Gluteal: Butt

  • Perineal: Between anus and external genitalia

Regional Terms: Lower Limb

  • Femoral: Femur

  • Patellar: Kneecap

  • Popliteal: Back of knee

  • Crural: Leg

  • Sural: Calf

  • Tarsal: Ankle

  • Calcaneus: Heel

  • Plantar: Sole of foot

  • Hallux: Big toe

  • Digital: Toes

Week 1 Review

  • Navigate the BIOS150 course and locate classroom resources.

  • Explain the importance of human biology in healthcare.

  • Recognize the four functional categories of body systems.

  • Identify basic healthcare career paths and required knowledge.

  • Break down medical terms using prefixes, roots, and suffixes.

  • Understand and apply anatomical position and directional terms.

BIOS-150: Human Biology - Week 2: Chemistry of Life and the Cell

Lecture Objectives

  • Describe the basic structure of an atom.

  • Explain the importance of chemical bonds in biological molecules.

  • Differentiate between organic and inorganic compounds.

  • Identify the role of pH and buffers in the human body.

  • Describe the structure and function of the four major macromolecules.

  • Compare and contrast prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells.

The Building Blocks of Matter

  • Atoms: The smallest unit of an element that retains the properties of that element.

    • Protons (p^{+}): Positively charged particles in the nucleus.

    • Neutrons: Neutral particles in the nucleus.

    • Electrons (e^{-}): Negatively charged particles orbiting the nucleus.

  • Elements: Substances that cannot be broken down into simpler substances.

    • About 96\% of the human body mass consists of Oxygen, Carbon, Hydrogen, and Nitrogen.

Chemical Bonds

  • Ionic Bonds: Formed when one atom transfers electrons to another (e.g., Sodium Chloride, NaCl).

  • Covalent Bonds: Formed when atoms share electrons; these are the strongest bonds in biological systems.

  • Hydrogen Bonds: Weak attractions between a partially positive hydrogen atom and a partially negative atom (like Oxygen or Nitrogen).

pH and Homeostasis

  • pH Scale: Measures the concentration of hydrogen ions (H^{+}) in a solution.

    • Acidic: pH < 7.0 (high H^{+} concentration).

    • Basic (Alkaline): pH > 7.0 (low H^{+} concentration).

    • Neutral: pH of 7.0.

  • Blood pH: The human body tightly regulates blood pH between 7.35 and 7.45.

  • Buffers: Chemicals that resist changes in pH to maintain homeostasis.

Biological Macromolecules

  1. Carbohydrates: Provide quick energy and structural support (e.g., glucose, glycogen).

  2. Lipids: Store long-term energy and form cell membranes (e.g., fats, phospholipids, steroids).

  3. Proteins: Build structures, act as enzymes, and facilitate transport (composed of amino acids).

  4. Nucleic Acids: Store and transmit genetic information (DNA and RNA).

Introduction to the Cell

  • Cell Theory: All living things are composed of cells; the cell is the basic unit of life.

  • Plasma Membrane: A phospholipid bilayer that regulates what enters and exits the cell.

  • Organelles:

    • Nucleus: Contains genetic material (DNA).

    • Mitochondria: The "powerhouse" of the cell; site of ATP (energy) production.

    • Ribosomes: Sites of protein synthesis.

    • Endoplasmic Reticulum (ER): Transport network (Rough ER has ribosomes; Smooth ER produces lipids).

    • Golgi Apparatus: Modifies, sorts, and packages proteins.