Glossary pt. 2 Flashcards
Bursa
a small sac filled with fluid and located at friction points, especially joints.
Calcaneal
pertaining to the heel of the foot.
Calyx
a cuplike extension of the pelvis of the kidney.
Canaliculus
extremely small tubular passage or channel.
Cancer
a malignant, invasive cellular neoplasm that has the capability of spreading throughout the body or body parts.
Carbohydrate
organic compound composed of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen; includes starches, sugars, cellulose.
Cardiac cycle
sequence of events encompassing one complete contraction and relaxation of the atria and ventricles of the heart.
Cardiac muscle
specialized muscle of the heart with striations and intercalated discs; involuntary muscle.
Cardiac output (CO)
the blood volume (in liters) ejected per minute by each ventricle.
Cardiac veins
veins that drain the myocardium and empty into the coronary sinus.
Cardiovascular system
organ system that distributes blood to all parts of the body.
Carpal
(1) one of the eight bones of the wrist; (2) pertaining to the wrist.
Cartilage
white, semiopaque connective tissue.
Cartilaginous joint
bones united by cartilage; no joint cavity is present.
Catabolism
the process in which living cells break down substances into simpler substances; destructive metabolism.
Catalyst
substance that increases the rate of a chemical reaction without itself becoming chemically changed or part of the product; see enzyme.
Cataract
partial or complete loss of transparency of the crystalline lens of the eye.
Catecholamines
epinephrine and norepinephrine.
Cauda equina
the collection of spinal nerves at the inferior end of the vertebral canal.
Cell
the basic biological unit of living organisms, enclosed by a limiting membrane; cells in more complex organisms contain a nucleus and a variety of organelles.
Cell body
the part of a neuron containing the nucleus; the metabolic center of a neuron.
Cell division
the phase of a cell’s life cycle when it reproduces itself.
Cellular immunity
immunity conferred by lymphocytes called T cells; also called cell-mediated immunity.
Central nervous system (CNS)
the brain and the spinal cord.
Centriole
a minute body found near the nucleus of the cell composed of microtubules; active in cell division.
Centromere
button-like body holding sister chromatids together; also, the site of attachment to the mitotic spindle.
Cephalic
pertaining to the head.
Cerebellum
part of the hindbrain; involved in producing smoothly coordinated skeletal muscle activity.
Cerebral cortex
outer gray matter of the cerebrum.
Cerebral white matter
area of the cerebrum deep to the cerebral cortex containing fiber tracts carrying impulses to, from, or within the cortex.
Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)
the fluid produced by choroid plexuses; fills the ventricles and surrounds the central nervous system.
Cerebrovascular accident (CVA)
a condition in which brain tissue is deprived of a blood supply, as in blockage of a cerebral blood vessel; also called a stroke.
Cerebrum
the largest part of the brain; consists of right and left cerebral hemispheres.
Cerumen
earwax.
Cervical
term referring to the neck or the necklike portion of an organ or structure.
Cervical cancer
uncontrolled cellular growth in the cervix that is almost always associated with one or more strains of human papilloma virus (HPV).
Cervical vertebrae
the seven vertebrae of the neck region.
Cervix
the inferior necklike portion of the uterus leading to the vagina.
Chemical bond
an energy relationship holding atoms together; involves the interaction of electrons.
Chemical reaction
process in which molecules are formed, changed, or broken down.
Chemoreceptors
receptors sensitive to various chemicals in solution.
