Untitled Flashcards Set

Sclera =

The white part of the eye that serves as an anchoring site for

extrinsic eye muscles; part of the eye’s fibrous outermost layer

Cornea =

The window that lets light into the eye; part of the eye’s fibrous

outermost layer

Choroid =

Supplies all the layers of the eye with blood; part of the eye’s

vascular middle layer

Ciliary body =

Ring of muscle tissue around the lens in the eye

Iris =

Ring of smooth muscle between the cornea and lens that

contracts and expands to change the size of the pupil; the

colored part of the eye

Pupil =

Opening in the center of the iris that allows light into the eye

Suspensory ligament =

A halo of fibers encircling and holding up the lens of the eye

Retina =

The inner layer of the eye that contains the photoreceptors

(rods and cones)

Optic nerve =

The nerve that transmits visual information from the retina to the

brain

Fovea centralis =

Small pit in the eye, packed with cones, that gives us our

sharpest and clearest vision

Optic disc =

Where the optic nerve exits the eye

Rods =

Photoreceptors in the retina that register black and white

Cones =

Photoreceptors in the retina that detect fine details and color

Lens =

The convex transparent disc that focuses the light that is

allowed in and projects it onto the retina in the inner layer

Vitreous humor =

The clear gel that fills the posterior segment of the eye behind

the lens

Aqueous humor =

The clear fluid that fills the anterior segment in front of the lens

Odor =

The gaseous molecules we smell

Olfactory epithelium =

Specialized epithelial tissue in the roof of the nasal cavity that

has olfactory sensory neurons

Taste buds =

The sensory organ of taste, mainly located in the papillae

Papillae =

Bumps on the tongue where taste buds are located

Gustatory epithelial cells =

Taste receptor cells

Basal epithelial cells =

Stem cells that make new gustatory epithelial cells

Hormone =

Chemical messengers secreted by cells into extracellular fluids

that travel through the blood to regulate cell functions

Exocrine =

Externally secreting structures that release nonhormonal

substances, like sweat and saliva, through ducts to the body’s

surface

Endocrine =

Internally secreting ductless structures that release hormones

into surrounding tissue fluid, like blood

Humoral stimuli =

Hormone release caused by altered levels of critical ions or

nutrients

Neural stimuli =

Hormone release caused by neural input

Hormonal stimuli =

Hormone release caused by another hormone

Permissiveness =

When a hormone can’t do its job fully without another

hormone present

Synergism =

When more than one hormone produces the same effects

at the target cell, causing an amplified combined effect

Antagonism =

When one hormone opposes the action of another