Anatomy Vocab: Circulatory, Digestive, Reproductive Flashcards
Arteries
Blood vessels 2.5 cm thick that take oxygenated blood away from the heart.
Capillaries
The smallest blood vessel, where gases, wastes, and nutrients diffuse into and out of the bloodstream and body cells.
Veins
Blood vessels 3 cm thick that take oxygen-poor blood to the heart.
Describe the pathway of blood through the heart.
Vena cava, right atrium, tricuspid valve, right ventricle, pulmonary valve, pulmonary artery, lungs, pulmonary vein, left atrium, bicuspid valve, left ventricle, aortic valve, aorta.
Vena cava
Two vena cava: Inferior vena cava, which brings de-oxygenated blood from lower body to the heart, and superior vena cava, which brings de-oxygenated blood from upper body to heart.
Left and right ventricles
Contract to force blood through the pulmonary valve or the aortic valve.
Left and right atria
Blood pools in here, when full they contract to force blood through bicuspid or tricuspid valve and into the ventricles.
Pulmonary artery, pulmonary veins
Pulmonary artery takes de-oxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. Pulmonary veins take oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart.
Aorta
The artery that is attached to the heart. It has the highest blood pressure of anything in the body because it is how blood exits the heart.
Blood plasma
Mostly water, helps transport ions and nutrients.
Red blood cells
Help transport O2 and CO2.
White blood cells
Help with defense and immunity.
Platelets
Fragments that allow blood to clot.
Blood pressure
The force exerted by the blood on the walls of the blood vessels, measured in mm Hg.
Hypertension
High blood pressure: 140/90 or higher.
Atherosclerosis
Fatty buildup of cholesterol or plaque in blood vessels, restricting blood flow, can lead to a heart attack or stroke.
Spleen
Where red blood cells are recycled.
Salivary glands
Produce saliva inside mouth to help with digestion. Saliva contains enzyme amylase to break down carbohydrates.
Esophagus
Tube for food to travel from mouth to stomach. Performs peristalsis.
Stomach
Has HCI and pepsin to digest food particles, turning them into chyme. Has a sphincter on top and bottom.
Peristalsis
The way that the tubes of the digestive tract contract in order to push food forward.
Small intestine
A smooth muscle tube about 20 ft. long, the first 1/3 finishes digestion using pancreatic enzymes (and small intestine enzymes). Last 2/3=absorption using villi.
Pancreas
Produces sodium bicarbonate to neutralize the low pH of chyme coming into intestine. Produces enzymes to digest the molecules. Produces insulin & glucagon hormones for blood sugar.
Bile
Substance made by liver that helps neutralize the pH of chyme to protect small intestine and emulsify fats.
Liver
Makes bile to help with digestion and protection.
Gall bladder
Stores bile made in liver, releases it when fatty foods are being digested. May fill up with painful gallstones..
Villi
Finger-like projections in small intestine that increase surface area to allow for absorption of nutrients into the bloodstream.
Appendix
A little sac-like tube at the junction of small and large intestine that may be a source of symbiotic bacteria. Can become infected.
Large intestine
The part of the digestive system that removes/absorbs excess water from waste.
Rectum
The storage area for feces before they are eliminated from the body.
Anus
The sphincter that is where poop exits the body.
Urea
A chemical waste product made from the breakdown of proteins; a main component of urine.
Glycogen
Stored glucose. Turns into glycogen and is stored in liver thanks to insulin, can turn back into glucose if needed by glucagon.
Ovary
The site of oogenesis (egg cell meiosis) in female body. Contains follicles to hold and nourish eggs.
Fallopian Tubes
Site of fertilization. Where egg goes after released by follicle.
Uterus
Where implantation ideally occurs. Contains two linings, one that sheds monthly if no pregnancy. Where baby will develop.
Vagina
Thin smooth muscle tube that connects the uterus to the outside of the body, birth canal where baby exits, and where penis is placed during intercourse. Has low pH to prevent infection.
Menstrual cycle process
- menses- shed lining. 2. egg maturation- an egg cell completes meiosis. 3. ovulation- release of egg into fallopian tube. 4. development of uterine lining- prepare for potential pregnancy.
Progesterone
Help maintain the uterine lining and placenta if pregnancy develops.
Estrogen
Produced by the developing egg. Helps egg mature and uterine lining develop. Also allows for secondary sexual characteristics. Maintains lining and placenta if pregnant.
Ovulation
Day 14 of menstrual cycle. Mature egg released from follicle, caught in fallopian tube. Stimulated by LH.
Implantation
Fertilized egg travels down fallopian tube as mitosis is happening, reaches uterus and implants in endometrium. Cells from embryo & uterine lining form the placenta.
LH
Luteinizing hormone. Stimulates ovulation in females and testosterone production by testes in males. Made by brain.
FSH
Follicle-stimulating hormone. Produced in brain (both males & females), travels to ovary/teste and stimulates meiosis.
Birth
Has three stages: Dilation of cervix to force out baby, delivery of infant, and delivery of placenta.
Oxytocin
Hormone produced in mother’s pituitary gland. Stimulates contractions of the uterine muscle and cervix at birth; at lactation, secreted when baby sucks at nipple. Causes muscle contractions in nipple to force milk out of the mammary glands.
Prolactin
The hormone that stimulates milk production so that a mom can breastfeed her baby.
Lactation
Breastfeeding a baby with mom’s milk. Has many health benefits for the infant.
Female contraceptive methods
Tubal ligation, hormonal methods (birth control pill, etc.), preventing implantation through IUD, RU486, and morning after pill, barrier (female condom, cervical cap, diaphragm, spermicidal jellies), and natural family planning.
Testes
Site of spermatogenesis. (meiosis) Produces testosterone to help in spermatogenesis and secondary sexual characteristics.
Epididymis
Tubing on top of testes where sperm mature and are stored- gives them caps and tails.
Vas deferens
Tubing that carries the sperm away from the epididymis and to the urethra.
Seminal vesicle
Male reproductive gland that produces sugars to provide energy for sperm motility. Makes the main part of semen.
Prostate gland
Gland connecting to vas deferens making alkaline solution (for low-pH vagina) and prostaglandins to encourage smooth muscle of vagina/uterus/fallopian tubes to contract to help push the sperm along.
Urethra
Vas deferens joins the urethra to allow for passage of sperm through the penis and out of the body into the vagina.
Penis
Male sex organ used in intercourse. Has erectile tissue that causes blood flow into penis, making it easier to pass sperm into vagina.
Scrotum
Keeps testes separate from body. Keeps the testes 1-3 degrees C less than body, to allow for sperm production
Diaphragm
Female contraceptive method. Forms a barrier around the cervix preventing sperm from entering.
