Chapter 1 Introduction to the Human Body Flashcards
Anatomy
study of structure
Physiology
study of function
Embryology
The first eight weeks of development after fertilization of a human egg
Development Biology
The complete development of an individual from fertilization to death
Cell Biology
Cellular structure and functions
Histology
Microscopic structure of tissues
hist- = tissue
Gross Anatomy
Structures that can be examined without a microscope
Systemic Anatomy
Structure of specific systems of the body such as the nervous or respiratory systems
Regional Anatomy
Specific regions of the body such as the head or chest
Surface Anatomy
Surface markings of the body to understand internal anatomy through visualization and palpation (gentle touch)
Imaging Anatomy
Internal body structures that can be visualized with techniques such as x-rays, MRI, CT scans, and other technologies for clinical analysis and medical intervention
Pathological Anatomy
Structural changes (gross to microscopic) associated with disease
path- = disease
Molecular Physiology
Functions of individual molecules such as proteins and DNA
Neurophysiology
Functional properties of nerve cells
Endocrinology
Hormones (chemical regulators in the blood) and how they control body functions
Cardiovascular Physiology
Functions of the heart and blood vessels
Immunology
The body’s defenses against disease causing agents
Respiratory Physiology
Functions of the air passageways and lungs
Renal Physiology
Function of the kidneys
Exercise Physiology
Changes in cell and organ functions due to muscular activity
Pathophysiology
Functional changes associated with disease and aging
What are the Levels of Structural Organization and Body Systems
Chemical Level, Cellular Level, Tissue Level, Organ Level, System Level, Organismal Level
Integumentary System
Components: Skin, hair, fingernails, toenails, sweat glands, receptors, and oil glands.
Functions: Protects body, Regulates body temperature, eliminates some waste, helps create vitamin D, detects sensations such as touch/pain/warmth, fat is stored under skin and provides insulation
Nervous System
Components: Brain, spinal cord, nerves, and special sense organs such as eyes and ears.
Functions: Generates action potentials (nerve impulses) to regulate body activities, detects changes in the body’s internal/external environments, interprets changes, and responds by causing muscular contractions or glandular secretions
Skeletal System
Components: Bones and joints of the body and their associated cartilages.
Functions: Supports and protects the body, provides surface area for muscle attachments, aids body movements, houses cells that produce blood cells, stores minerals and lipids
Endocrine System
Components: Hormone producing glands, pineal gland, hypothalamus, pituitary gland, thymus, thyroid gland, parathyroid glands, adrenal glands, pancreas, ovaries, and testes. Alongside other hormone-producing cells in several other organs.
Functions:
Regulates body activities by releasing hormones (chemical messengers transported in blood from the endocrine gland or tissue to the target organ)
Muscular System
Components: Skeletal muscle tissue aka muscle usually attached to bones (other muscle tissue include smooth and cardiac)
Functions:
Participating in body movements such as walking/maintaining posture, also produces heat
Cardiovascular System
Components: Blood, heart, and blood vessels.
Functions: Heart pumps blood through blood vessels. Blood carries oxygen and nutrients to cells and carbon dioxide and wastes away from cells and helps regulate acid-base balance, temperature, and water content of body fluids. Blood components help defend against disease and repair damaged blood vessels
Lymphatic System and Immunity
Components: Lymphatic fluid and vessels; spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and tonsils; cells that can carry out immune responses like B cells, T cells, and others.
Functions: Returns proteins and fluid to blood; carries lipids from gastrointestinal tract to blood; contains sites of maturation and proliferation of B cells and T cells that protect against disease-causing microbes
Respiratory System
Components: Lungs and air passageways such as the pharynx (throat), larynx (voice box), trachea (windpipe), alveoli (air sack) and bronchial tubes leading into and out of the lungs.
Functions: Transfers oxygen from inhaled air to blood and carbon dioxide from blood to exhaled air; helps regulate acid base balance of body fluids; air flowing out of lungs through vocal cords produces sounds
Digestive System
Components: Organs of gastrointestinal tract, a long tube that includes the mouth, pharynx (throat), esophagus (food tube), stomach, small and large intestines, and anus; also includes accessory organs that assist in digestive processes, such as salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas.
Functions: Achieves physical and chemical breakdown of food; absorbs nutrients; eliminates solid wastes
Urinary System
Components: Kidneys, uterus, urinary bladder, and urethra.
Functions: Produces, stores, and eliminates urine; eliminates wastes and regulates volume and chemical composition of blood; helps maintain the acid-base balance of body fluids; maintains body’s mineral balance; helps regulate production of red blood cells
Reproductive Systems
Components: Gonads (testes and ovaries) and associated organs (uterine tubes or fallopian tubes, uterus, vagina, and mammary glands in females and epididymis, ductus or (vas) deferens, seminal vesicles, prostate, and penis in males).
Functions: Gonads produce gametes (sperm or oocytes) that unite to form a new organism; gonads also release hormones that regulate reproduction and other body processes; associated organs transport and store gametes; mammary glands produce milk
Basic Life Processes
metabolism, responsiveness, movement, growth, differentiation, and reproduction
Homeostasis
condition of equilibrium, or balance, in the body’s internal environment
What are some potential outcomes of an unchecked unbalanced homeostasis?
When homeostasis is disrupted it may result in disease, disorder, or even death
3 Components of Feedback Loops
Receptor, Control Center, Effector
Most receptors are…
sensory neurons that monitor changes in controlled conditions
How is Homeostasis maintained? (short answer)
balanced with the communication of cells, tissues, and organ systems
Explain the process of homeostasis when body temperature gets too low (long answer)
If they body temperature becomes too low, thermoreceptors in the skin will send out signals to the pre-optic area (heat promoting area) of the hypothalamus.
Output signals from the pre-optic area will cause skeletal muscles to contract in a repetitive cycle called shivering, and stimulate the release hormones that increase tissue metabolism.
Blood vessels in the skin receive signals to constrict, decreasing the flow of warm blood near the skins surface, focusing the heat towards the core
Hypothalamus is the…
Control center
What happens in the control center?
Input from the receptors are sent in and evaluated compared to normal values and if the inputs are irregular, the plans to fix also occur in the control center.
The control center communicates by means of electrical nerve impulses, secretion of hormones, or both.
Effectors
Cells of any body structure that receives output from the control center.
Effectors produce a response to adjust the altered condition
Negative feedback Loops
most common to maintain homeostasis
They are called negative because they reverse the altered condition
Ex: if a stimulus causes a rise of blood pressure the body would work to lower the bp
Positive feedback Loops
less common
Positive feedback loops can only be stopped from a mechanism outside of the system
Ex: Labor and childbirth
Anatomical position
standardized method of observing or imaging the body that allows precise and consistent anatomical reference
Person stands erect, facing the observer, the upper extremities are placed at the sides, the palms of the hands are turned forward, and the feet are flat on the floor
Cephalic
Head
Cranial
Skull
Facial
Face
Frontal
Forehead
Temporal
Temple
Orbital/Ocular
Eye
Otic
Ear
Buccal
Cheek
Nasal
Nose
Oral
Mouth
Mental
Chin
