Chapter 1: Major themes of A&P Flashcards
Anatomy
study of structure
Physiology
the study of function
inspection
looking at the body’s appearance. performing physical examination. clinical diagnosis from surface level
Palpation
feeling a structure with the hands, taking a pulse or palpating a swollen lymphnode
Auscultation
listening to the natural sounds made by the body
ex: heart and lung sounds
percussion
examiner taps the body, feels for abnormal resistance. Listens to the emitted sounds for abnromalities
dissection
carefully cutting and separating tissue to reveal their relationships
comparative anatomy
study of multiple species in order to examine similarities, differences and trends
exploratory surgery
opening a body to see what is wrong and figure out how to fix it
gross anatomy
structure that can be seen with naked eye, by surface observation, radiology or dissection
histology
observing thinly sliced and stained tissue specimens under a microscope
histopathology
microscopic examination of tissues for signs of disease
Cytology
study of the structure and function of individual cells
Ultrastructure
fine detail, molecular level, revealed by electron microscope
comparative physiology
study of how different species have solved problems of life such as water balance, respiration and reproduction
scientific method
habits of disciplined creativity, observation, logical thinking and honest analysis of observations and conclusions
inductive method
a process of making many observations until one feels confident in drawing generalizations and conclusions from them.
hypothetico-deductive method
investigator begins by asking questions and forming a hypothesis
hypothesis
educated speculation or possible answer
- must be consistent with what is already known
- capable of being tested and possibly falsified by evidence
Falsifiability
if we claim something that is scientifically true must be able to specify was evidence it would take to prove it wrong.
Sample Size
number of subjects used in a study
control group
consists of subjects that are similar and alike to the treatment group except for the variable being tested
Psychosomatic effects
effects of the subjects state of mind on his or her physiology``
placebo
a substance with no significant physiological effect on the body
peer review
a critical evaluation by other experts in that field
- ensures honesty, objectivity, and quality in science
fact
information that can be independently verified by any trained person
law of nature
a generalization about the predictable ways in which matter and energy behave
theory
explanatory statement or set of statements derived from facts, laws and hypotheses
evolution
change in the genetic composition of a population of organisms
natural selection
some individuals within a species have hereditary advantages over their competitors that allow them to produce more offspring
selection pressures
natural forces that promote the reproductive success of some individuals more than others
adaptations
features of anatomy, physiology, and behavior that evolve in response to selection pressures. helps organism cope with challeneges
model
an animal species or strain selected for research on a particular problem is called a model
opposable thumbs
thumbs can cross the palm to touch fingertips, making primates able to hold small objects
prehensile
able to grasp objects by encircling them with the thumb and fingers
stereoscopic vision
depth perception
bipedalism
standing and walking on two legs
evolutionary medicine
analyzes how human disease and dysfunctions can be traces to differences
organism
single, complete individual
organ system
group of organs with a unique collective function
organ
structure composed of two or more tissue types that work together to carry out specific function
tissue
mass of similar cells and cell products that forms a discrete region of an organ and performs specific function
cells
smallest units of an organism and carry out all the basic functions of life
organelles
microscopic structures in a cell that carry out its individual functions
molecules
a particle composed of at least two atoms
atom
smallest particles with unique chemical identities
reductionism
the theory that a large, complex system can be understood by studying its simpler components
responsiveness and movement
the ability to sense and react to stimuli
stimuli
changes in the environment
homeostasis
the ability to maintain internal stability
- ability to detect change, activate mechanisms that oppose it and maintain stable internal conditions
development
any change in form or function over a lifetime
differentiation
the transformation of cells with no specialized function into cells that are committed to a particular task
growth
increase in size
- growth of body occurs through chemical change
reproduction
produce copies of themselves, passing their genes on
evolution
all species experience genetic change from generation to generation and evolve.
- occurs because of mutations
- only seen in the population as a whole
negative feedback
a process in which the body senses change and activates mechanisms that negate or reverse it
vasodilation
the widening of blood vessels, warm blood flows closer to body surface and loses heat.
(heat losing mechanism)
vasoconstriction
narrowing of the blood vessels in skin. retains warm blood deeper into body and reduces heat loss
(heat conserving mechanism)
shivering
muscle tremors that generate heat.
receptor
a structure that senses a change in the body
Integrating (control) center
mechanism that processes this information and relates it to other info
effector
cell or organ that carries out final corrective action
positive feedback
self-amplifying cycle in which a psychological change leads to even greater change in the same direction
- woman giving birth
gradient
a difference in chemical concentration, electrical charge, physical pressure, temperature or other variable between one point or another
down the gradient
flows from high value to lower value
up the gradient
lower value to higher value
