Anatomy Flashcards
Jugular vein
Veins that bring deoxygenated blood from the head back to the heart via the superior vena cava
Venae cavae
Large veins that return deoxygenated blood from the body into the heart. In humans they are called the superior vena cava and the inferior vena cava, and both empty into the right atrium
Carotid artery
Arteries that supply the head and neck with oxygenated blood; they divide in the neck to form the external and internal carotid arteries
Pineal gland
Small endocrine gland in the brain - Produces melatonin which regulates sleep - Resembles a pine cone - Located near the center of the brain between the two hemispheres
Thalamus
Either of two large, ovoid structures of grey matter within the forebrain that relay sensory impulses to the cerebral cortex - From Latin for “inner chamber” - Relays sensory signals to the cortex - Regulates consciousness, sleep, y alertness
Pericardium
From Greek for “around heart” - Double-walled sac containing the heart and roots of the great vessels (aorta, vena cavae) - Fixes heart in place, prevents infection, y lubricates heart
Thymus
A ductless gland, consisting mainly of lymphatic tissue, located behind the top of the sternum - Most active during puberty, after which it shrinks in size - Plays an important role in development of the immune system y produces lymphocytes
Neuron
Aka nerve cell - An electrically excitable cell that processes y transmits information through electrical y chemical signals - Consists of a cell body (soma), dendrites, and an axon - Core components of the brain y spinal cord of the central nervous system
Pharynx
The part of the throat that is behind the mouth and nasal cavity, and above the esophagus and the trachea
Larynx
Aka the voice box - Organ involved in breathing, sound production, and protecting the trachea against food aspiration. It manipulates pitch and volume. The larynx houses the vocal folds (vocal cords)
Trachea
Aka the windpipe - A tube that connects the pharynx and larynx to the lungs, allowing the passage of air - Extends from the larynx and branches into the two primary bronchi. At the top of the trachea the cricoid cartilage attaches it to the larynx
Phalanges (Phalanx bones)
Bones in the fingers and toes - Thumbs y big toes have two; fingers y other toes have three
Metacarpal bones
Bones in the hand, located between the phalanges of the fingers and the carpal bones of the wrist - The metacarpal bones are equivalent to the metatarsal bones in the foot
Bronchus (pl. Bronchi)
Airways in the respiratory tract that lead from the trachea into the lungs - There are left y right bronchi, which branch off into smaller bronchi, then even smaller bronchioles - No gas exchange takes place here
Alveolus (pl. alveoli)
From Latin for “little cavity” - The terminal ends of the respiratory tract in the lungs - The site of gas exchange with the blood - Alveolar sacs are at the end of alveolar ducts, which branch off from pulmonary veins y arteries
Lobes of the brain (5)
- Frontal lobe - Entire front half
- Parietal lobe - Top of back half
- Temporal lobe - Bottom middle
- Occipital lobe - Back
- Limbic lobe - Inside middle
Spleen
In vertebrates, a ductless vascular gland, located in the left upper abdomen near the stomach, which destroys old red blood cells, removes debris from the bloodstream, acts as a reservoir of blood, and produces lymphocytes
Gallbladder
A pear-shaped organ that stores bile from the liver, until the body needs it for the digestion and absorption of fats in the duodenum
Lymphatic system
A network of lymph vessels y lymph nodes that transport fluid, fats, proteins, y lymphocytes to the bloodstream as lymph, y remove microorganisms y other debris from tissues - Includes tonsils, thymus, y spleen
Humerus
Long bone in the arm that runs from the shoulder to the elbow - Connects the scapula y the two bones of the lower arm, the radius y ulna - Named derived from Latin umerus meaning upper arm
Monocyte
A large, circulating white blood cell (leukocyte), formed in bone marrow y the spleen - Ingests foreign particles y cell debris - Largest type of leukocyte - Can differentiate into macrophages y myeloid lineage dendritic cells
Dendritic Cell
A branching cell of the lymph nodes, blood, y spleen - Functions as a network trapping foreign protein - Act as messengers between the inate y adaptive immune systems - Present in tissues that are in contact with external environment, like skin, nose, stomach
T Cell
A type of lymphocyte - Circulates in blood y lymph, y orchestrates the immune system’s response to infected or malignant cells - Helper T cells recognize foreign antigen on the surfaces of other cells, y stimulate B cells y Killer T Cells to produce antibody - Called ‘T’ because they mature in the thymus
Peritoneum
The serous membrane that forms the lining of the abdominal cavity -Covers most of the intra-abdominal organs, y serves as a conduit for their blood vessels, lymphatic vessels, y nerves
Maxilla
The upper jawbone - Formed from the fusion of two maxillary bones - Includes the frontal portion of the palate of the mouth
Thoracic diaphragm
A sheet of internal skeletal muscle that extends across the bottom of the thoracic cavity, which contains the heart y lungs, separating it from the abdominal cavity - Performs an important function in respiration: as the diaphragm contracts, the volume of the thoracic cavity increases and air is drawn into the lungs
Adrenal glands
AKA the suprarenal glands - Endocrine glands that produce a variety of hormones incl. epinephrine (adrenaline), norepinephrine, aldosterone (sodium regulation), y cortisol (hydrocortisone) - Located above the kidneys
Pituitary gland
AKA the hypophysis - An endocrine gland, about the size of a pea, that sits in a small, bony cavity at the base of the brain, protruding off the bottom of the hypothalamus - Secretions control the other endocrine glands, y influence growth, metabolism, y maturation
Sciatic nerve
Aka the ischiadic nerve - Runs from the lower back, through the buttock, into the lower leg - The longest y widest single nerve in the human body - Provides the connection to the nervous system for the skin of the leg, the muscles of the back of the thigh, y those of the leg and foot
