Anatomy Vocab: Nervous, Respiratory, Excretory

Question 1

Neurons

Answer 1

The basic cellular unit of the nervous system.

Question 2

Synapse

Answer 2

The end of the axon, where the axon almost touches the next cell body.

Question 3

Neurotransmitters

Answer 3

Chemicals which allow the nerve impulse to cross the synapse. They are released to the synaptic cleft. They can increase or decrease transmission.

Question 4

Cerebrum

Answer 4

The larger part of the brain that controls things like smell, touch, taste, reading, and the motor cortex.

Question 5

Cerebellum

Answer 5

The part of the brain below the cerebrum. It helps with skeletal muscle coordination, balance, muscle tone, posture, etc. Muscles we generally have control over.

Question 6

Medulla

Answer 6

It controls involuntary muscles like heartbeat and breathing, gland secretion, and digestion.

Question 7

Spinal Cord

Answer 7

A part of the central nervous system. It allows for communication between the body and the brain.

Question 8

Meninges

Answer 8

A layer of membrane that surrounds the brain to protect it by keeping things in and out.

Question 9

CSF- Cerebrospinal Fluid

Answer 9

The fluid that fills the ventricles and the skull to keep the brain from bumping into the sides of the skull- useful for protection.

Question 10

Ventricles

Answer 10

The space between the two halves of the brain.

Question 11

Hypothalamus

Answer 11

This part of the brain helps maintain homeostasis. It regulates body temperature, thirst, etc. It is also a part of the endocrine system, and it releases certain hormones from glands. It also helps make sense of sensory input.

Question 12

The Three Types of Neurons

Answer 12

Sensory neurons, association/interneurons, and motor neurons.

Question 13

Sensory Somatic

Answer 13

A part of the peripheral nervous system. It deals with skeletal muscles, the muscles you have direct control over.

Question 14

Autonomic

Answer 14

A part of the peripheral NS that deals with the muscles that are “automatic,” that our body controls but we don’t.

Question 15

Sympathetic

Answer 15

Part of the autonomic NS. This gets us ready for an emergency.

Question 16

Parasympathetic

Answer 16

Part of the autonomic NS. This brings us back to normal after an emergency.

Question 17

The Effect of Drugs on the Nervous System

Answer 17

Drugs can increase or decrease neurotransmitter levels. They can also speed up or slow down transmission. Many drugs act upon the reward pathway.

Question 18

Pharynx

Answer 18

This is the part of the throat that regulates the passage of air to the lungs and food to the esophagus. It is connected to the middle ears by eustachian tubes.

Question 19

Epiglottis

Answer 19

A flap that protects the respiratory system by closing off the larynx to prevent food and water from entering as you swallow.

Question 20

Trachea

Answer 20

The windpipe, where air enters.

Question 21

Bronchi

Answer 21

The main passageway into the lungs for air to travel through. These become smaller as they go toward the lungs and are then known as bronchioles.

Question 22

Bronchioles

Answer 22

The smaller form of bronchi that allow for air to be exchanged and carried to the lungs. These also become smaller and turn into alveoli.

Question 23

Alveoli

Answer 23

Air sacs within the lungs which is where O2 and CO2 are exchanged.

Question 24

Diaphragm

Answer 24

A skeletal muscle that sits at the base of the chest. It allows for negative pressure breathing to create a vacuum: Inhaling causes the diaphragm to contract and move down while the rib cage moves up, creating a vacuum/space for air to move in. Exhaling: lower rib cage, the diaphragm moves up and relaxes. Less space forces air out.

Question 25

How is our breathing rate controlled?

Answer 25

Our breathing rate is controlled by the medulla, which controls involuntary muscles. The medulla monitors our blood pH and forces us to breathe if the pH is too low (too much CO2).

Question 26

Kidney

Answer 26

An organ in the excretory system that filters nitrogenous waste from our blood.

Question 27

Ureter

Answer 27

The tube that carries waste from the kidney to the blader.

Question 28

Urinary bladder

Answer 28

The sac that stores nitrogenous waste before it is excreted.

Question 29

Urethra

Answer 29

The part of the excretory system that lets us urinate; where nitrogenous waste exits.

Question 30

Nephron

Answer 30

The basic functional unit of the kidney that does the actual filtration.

Question 31

Filtration

Answer 31

The kidney filters 180 L of water out of our blood each day- lots of water is lost at filtration. Plasma with water, glucose, and minerals is filtered/forced into the excretory tubule.

Question 32

Reabsorption

Answer 32

178 L (out of 180 L) of water is reabsorbed back into our blood to keep us alive and hydrated. Water, solutes, glucose, and amino acids are reabsorbed back into the blood.

Question 33

Secretion

Answer 33

Specialized epithelial cells actively transport ions and drugs into the filtrate (the liquid, before it becomes urine).

Question 34

Excretion

Answer 34

The filtrate is now urine. We pee 2 L a day. At excretion, we remove the products remaining in the excretory tubule (urea and excess water, which form urine).

Question 35

ADH

Answer 35

Antidiuretic hormone is produced in the hypothalamus and stored in the primary gland. It causes our tubules to reabsorb water and decrease urine to conserve water when we are dehydrated. It helps us maintain homeostasis.

Question 36

Dialysis

Answer 36

An artery is hooked up to an “artificial kidney” which filters the blood. Treatment for kidney failure.

Question 37

Urinary Tract Infection

Answer 37

Bacteria can grow in the urethra or bladder and cause an infection. Can be treated with antibiotics.