Chapter 1 - Introduction to the body Flashcards
abdominal cavity
the space that contains the stomach, intestines, spleen, liver, and other organs; it is the superior portion of the abdominopelvic cavity
abdominal region
the part of the body where the abdominopelvic cavity is
abdominopelvic cavity
the space that contains the abdominal cavity and the pelvic cavity; these cavities are not separated by a muscular or membrane wall, but are often thought of as being separate
abdominopelvic quadrants
a way of making it easier for medical personnel to identify a specific portion of the abdominopelvic cavity; the abdominopelvic cavity is divided into four quadrants:
(1) right upper quadrant (RUQ), also called right superior;
(2) right lower quadrant (RLQ), also called right inferior;
(3) left upper quadrant (LUQ), also called left superior;
(4) left lower quadrant (LLQ), also called left inferior;
it is important to note that these quadrants are from the PATIENT’S point of view, not the doctor’s, so it refers to what the patient’s right or left is, and not the doctor’s
acromial region
another word for the highest point on a shoulder blade
anatomical position
a body pose where the body is standing erect, feet and head are pointing forward, arms are at the side, and the palms are facing forward (similar to how you would lie a dead body on its back while dissecting it)
anatomy
the study of the physical structure of a body; this can be done on a dead body
angstrom
1/10,000,000,000 (ten-billionth) of a meter; the symbol is Å
antebrachial region
another name for the forearm
antecubital region
another word for the front of the elbow; plasma center donations are drawn from this region
anterior
a directional term that means “towards the front of the body”
anterior view
a point of view where you are looking at the front of the body (the side with the face, chest, and genitals in the anatomical position)
appendicular portion of the body
the part of the body that is made up of the arms and legs (also called extremities, or limbs)
atrophy
decrease in size or wasting away of a body part or tissue
axial portion of the body
the part of the body that contains the head, neck, and torso
axillary region
another name for the armpits
brachial region
another name for the upper arm (which is between the forearm and the armpit)
buccal region
another name for the lower cheek
calcaneal region
another name for the heel of the foot
carpal region
another name for the wrists
cells
the smallest living units of structure and function in the body
centimeter
1/100 of a meter
cephalic region
another name for the head
cervical region
another name for the neck
clavicle
the long horizontal bone on the shoulders; also called the collarbone
control center
the thing that determines the set point for a homeostatic variable; it takes information from the receptor and then decides on the correct course of action; it then communicates information about the correct course to the effector (example: thermostat in a building)
coronal plane
another word for the frontal plane
cortex
the outermost (or superficial) layer of an organ
cortical
a term that refers to the outer region: the cortex
coxal region
another name for the hips
cranial cavity
the space inside the skull that contains the brain
cranial region
another name for the skull or cranial cavity
crural region
another name for the front and lower part of the leg, the shin area
cubital region
another name for the elbow
cutaneous region
another name for the skin
deep
a directional term that means “towards the inside of the body”; the term internal may be used in place of deep
diaphragm
a dome-shaped muscle that is important for breathing; it separates the thoracic cavity from the abdominopelvic cavity
digital region
another name for the fingers or toes
directional point of view principle
this refers to the fact that when describing left or right, it is always done from the patient’s point of view (i.e., the patient’s right or left) and not the doctor’s
distal
a directional term that means “away from the trunk of the body”; can also refer to something that is farthest away from the connecting point between the trunk and an arm or leg
dorsal
another word for posterior
dorsal body cavity
one of the two major cavities in the human body; it protects the nervous system and has two subdivisions: the cranial cavity and the spinal cavity; it is called dorsal because the spine is in the back of the body
dorsal region
another name for the back
effector
the thing that allows the body to react to a change; it can do this by either reducing the direction the change is going in (negative feedback) or increasing the direction the change is going in (positive feedback) (example: furnace in a building that increases the heat when its cold or turns off when its too hot)
exercise physiology
the study of how exercise impacts the physiology of the body, and especially how it disrupts the body’s homeostasis
experimental control
any procedure within a scientific experiment that ensures that the test situation itself is not affecting the outcome of the experiment
facial region
another name for the face
feedback loop
a biological mechanism in the body that uses a receptor, a control center, and an effector in order to maintain homeostasis; most feedback loops in the body are negative; feedback loops can either oppose or encourage a change in the body
femoral region
another name for the thigh part of the leg
fibular region
another name for the side of the lower part of the leg that faces outward (away from the body)
frontal plane
an imaginary vertical line that divides the body into front and back parts
frontal region
another name for the forehead
gluteal region
another name for the buttocks
groin
the area that contains the pit where the thigh meets the trunk; this pit is between the genitals and the thigh; the groin is not that pit, but the groin is the muscles that are around that area
hallux
another name for the big toe
heel
the back and bottom part of the foot
hips
the general area where the femur connects with the pelvis
homeostasis
the internal and external bodily conditions required to sustain life; these must be stable in order for life to exist
homeostatic imbalance
the inability of the body to maintain an ideal homeostasis; this is the source of disease and death
homeostatic variable
a specific condition required for homeostasis; a variable has a range of values that is acceptable to fluctuate around and not a specific and exact value