Chapter 1 - Introduction Flashcards
What is dissection?
The careful cutting apart of body structures to study their relationships
What is anatomy?
The science of body structures and the relationships among them
What is physiology?
The science of body functions, how they work
What is embryology?
Study of the first 8 weeks of development after fertilization of the human egg
What is developmental biology?
The complete development of an individual from fertilization to death
What is cell biology?
Study of cellular structure and function
What is histology?
Study of microscopic structure of tissues
What is gross anatomy?
Study of structures that can be studied without a microscope
What is systemic anatomy?
Study of structure of specific systems of the body such as the nervous or respiratory system
What is regional anatomy?
Study of specific regions of the body such as head or chest
What is radiographic anatomy?
Study of body structures that can be visualized with X-rays
What is pathological anatomy?
Study of structural changes (gross to microscope) associated with disease
What is surface anatomy?
Study of surface markings of the body to understand internal anatomy through visualization and palpation
What is neurophysiology?
Study of functional properties of nerve cells
What is endocrinology?
Study of hormones and how they control body functions
What is cardiovascular physiology?
Study of functions of the heart and blood vessels
What is immunology?
Study of the body’s defences against disease-causing agents
What is respiratory physiology?
Study of functions of the air passageways and lungs
What is renal physiology?
Study of functions of the kidneys
What is exercise physiology?
Study of changes in cell and organ functions due to muscular activity
What is pathophysiology?
Study of functional changes associated with disease and aging
What are the 6 levels of structural organization in the human body? Describe them.
- Chemical level - include atoms and molecules
- Cellular level - molecules combine to form cells, basic units of the body
- Tissue level - groups of cells that work together for a specific function
- Organ level - structures that are composed of two or more different types of tissues, they have a specific function
- System level - related organs with a common function (digestive system)
- Organism level - any living individual
What are the 4 different kinds of tissue?
- Epithelial tissue - covers body surfaces, lines hollows & cavities and forms glands
- Connective tissue - connects, supports and protects body organs while distributing blood vessels to other tissues
- Muscular tissue - contracts to make body parts move, generates heat
- Nervous tissue - carries info from one part of the body to another
What are the 11 systems of the human body?
- Integumentary system - skin, hair, fingernails
- Skeletal system - bones and joints
- Muscular system - muscle attached to bone
- Nervous system - brain, spinal cord, nerves
- Endocrine system - hormone producing glands
- Cardiovascular system - blood, heart, and blood vessels
- Lymphatic system - lymphatic fluid & vessels, spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, tonsils
- Respiratory system - lungs, pharynx, larynx, trachea, and bronchial tubes
- Digestive system - mouth, pharynx, esophagus, stomach, small & large intestine, anus, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, pancreas
- Urinary system - kidneys, ureters, urinary bladder, urethra
- Reproductive system - gonads, uterus, vagina, mammary glands, seminal vesicles, prostate, penis
What is a noninvasive diagnostic technique?
Doesn’t involve insertion of an instrument or device through the skin or a body opening
What is an inspection?
Examiner observes the body for any changes that deviate from normal
What is palpation?
Gentle touching (during examination)
What is auscultation?
Listening to body sounds
What is percussion?
Examiner taps the body surface and listens to the resulting echo
What are the 6 most important life processes?
- Metabolism
- Responsiveness
- Movement
- Growth
- Differentiation
- Reproduction
What is metabolism?
Sum of all the chemical processes that occur in the body
What is catabolism?
The breakdown of complex chemical substances into simpler compounds
What is anabolism?
Building up of complex chemical substances from smaller, simpler components
What is responsiveness?
The body’s ability to detect and respond to changes
What is growth?
Increase in the size of cells or the number of cells
What is differentiation?
Development of a cell from an unspecialized to a specialized state
What are stem cells?
Precursor cells that can divide and give rise to cells that undergo differentiation
What is reproduction?
- Formation of new cells for tissue growth, repair or replacement OR
- The production of a new individual
What is an autopsy?
An examination of the body and dissection of its internal organs to determine or confirm cause of death
What is homeostasis?
The condition of equilibrium in the body’s internal environment due to constant interaction of the body’s many regulatory processes
What are body fluids?
Dilute, watery solutions containing dissolved chemicals that are found inside cells as well as surrounding them
What is ICF?
Intercellular fluid - fluid within cells
What is ECF?
Extracellular fluid - fluid outside body cells
What is interstitial fluid?
ECF that fills the narrow spaces between cells of tissues
What two body systems usually correct and maintain homeostasis?
Nervous system - sends electrical signals known as nerve impulses to organs. Faster but doesn’t last as long
Endocrine system - includes many glands that secrete hormones into the blood. Slower but last longer
What is a feedback system and what are its parts?
A cycle of events in which the status of a body condition is monitored, evaluated, changed, re monitored, re evaluted, and so on.
- Receptor
- Control center
- Effector
What is a receptor (feedback system)?
Body structure that monitors changes in a controlled condition and sends input to a control center
What is a control center (feedback system)?
A control centre in the body that sets the range of values within which a controlled condition should be maintained (set point), evaluates inputs received from receptors, and generates output commands to effectors
What is an effector?
A body structure that receives output from the control center and produces a response or effect that changes the controlled condition
What is a negative feedback system?
It reverses a change in a controlled condition.
The activity of the effector negates the original stimulus
What is a positive feedback system?
It tends to strengthen or reinforce a change in one of the body’s controlled conditions.
The effector produces a physiological response that adds to or reinforces the initial change in a controlled condition
Must be interrupted by some mechanism to be stopped (childbirth)
What is a disorder?
Any abnormality of structure or function
What is disease?
A more specific term for an illness characterized by a recognizable set of signs and symptoms
What are symptoms?
Subjective changes in body functions that are not apparent to an observer (headache, nausea, anxiety)
What are signs?
Objective changes that a clinician can observe and measure (swelling, rash, high BP)
What is epidemiology?
Study of when, why, where diseases occur and how they are transmitted among individuals in a community
What is pharmacology?
Study of the effects and uses of drugs in the treatment of disease
What is a diagnosis?
The science and skill of distinguishing one disorder or disease from another.
What is the anatomical position?
The subject stands erect facing the observer, head level, eyes facing forward. Feet are flat on the floor, directed forward and the upper limbs are at the sides with palms turned forward.
Describe the prone position.
Body is lying down, face down
Describe the supine position.
The body is lying down, face up
What are the 5 principal regions?
Head - face & skull
Neck
Trunk - chest, abdomen, and pelvis
Upper limbs - shoulder, armpit, arm, forearm, wrist and hand
Lower limbs - buttock, thigh, leg, ankle and foot
What is the anatomical name for head?
Cephalic
What is the anatomical name for neck?
Cervical
What is the anatomical name for foot?
Pedal
What is the anatomical name for armpit?
Axilliary
What is the anatomical name for arm?
Brachial
What is the anatomical name for front of the elbow?
Antecubital