INTRO to the Human Body Flashcards
What is human anatomy?
- the branch of science concerned with the bodily structure of humans, especially as revealed by dissection and the separation of parts.
- STRUCTURE
What is human physiology?
- the science of the mechanical, physical, and biochemical function of humans, and serves as the foundation of modern medicine.
- the study of homeostasis
- FUNCTION
What are the levels of organization from smallest to largest?
- chemical, cellular, tissues, organ, system, organism
What are the two chemical levels of organization?
- atoms
- molecules (two or more atoms joined together)
What are the two types of molecules in the body?
- inorganic
- organic (have C-H bonds)
What are the four types of tissue?
- epithelial
- connective
- muscle
- nervous
What is an organ?
- structures composed of two or more different types
of tissues
What is an organ system?
- consists of related organs with a common
function - there are 11 systems
What are the components of the skeletal system?
- bones, cartilage, ligaments
What are the two major parts of the skeletal system?
- axial
- appendicular
What are the three types of muscle in the body?
- skeletal, smooth, and cardiac
Why is the muscular system important?
- movement
- maintain posture and body position
- maintain a consistent body temperature
What are the components of the cardiovascular system?
- heart
- blood
- blood vessels
What is the significance of the cardiovascular system?
- vessels carry blood containing gases, nutrients, and hormones to specific locations
- regulates body temperature, acid-base and water balance
- defend against diseases and repair functions
What are the components of the nervous system?
- brain
- spinal cord
- nerves
- sensory organs (ex. eyes)
What is the significance of the nervous system?
- senses changes in the body’s internal and external environment
- interprets and responds to detected changes by causing muscle contractions or glandular secretions
- generates action potentials
What are the six important life processes?
- metabolism
- growth
- movement
- responsiveness
- differentiation
- reproduction
What is metabolism?
- the sum of all the catabolic (breaking down) and anabolic (building up) chemical processes that occur in the body
What is responsiveness?
- the body’s ability to detect and respond to changes which might represent an opportunity or threat
What is movement?
- any motion, including movement of tiny subcellular structure, or movement inside cells or organs
What is growth?
- involves an increase in body size due to an increase in existing cells, number of cells, or both
What is differentiation?
- the development of a cell from an unspecialized to a specialized state
What is reproduction?
- the formation of new cells (growth, repair, or replacement)
- babies
What is homeostasis?
- a condition of equilibrium in the body’s internal environment
- meant to keep body functions in the narrow range compatible with maintaining life
What are bodily fluids?
- defined as dilute, watery solutions containing dissolved chemicals inside or outside of the cell
What is intracellular fluid?
- the fluid within cells
What is extracellular fluid?
- the fluid outside cells
What is interstitial fluid?
- an extracellular fluid between cells and tissues
List some important body fluids?
- blood plasma
- lymph
- cerebrospinal fluid
- synovial fluid
- aqueous humor
What is blood plasm?
- is the ECF within blood vessels
What is ymph?
- the ECF within lymphatic vessels
What is cerebrospinal fluid?
- the ECF in the brain and spinal cord
What is synovial fluid?
- the ECF in joints
What is aqueous humor?
- the ECF in eyes
What happens to interstitial fluid when it moves between plasma and the interstitial fluid?
- it changes as it moves through the plasma and interstitial fluid
Control of homeostasis is constantly being challenged by what?
- physical insults (lack of O2)
- changes in the internal environment (drop in blood glucose)
- physiological stress
What are the three basic components of the bodies feedback system?
- receptors
- control center
- effector
What is a receptor?
- a body structure that monitors changes in a controlled condition (such as body temperature) and sends input to the control centre
What is the control centre?
- sets the range of values to be maintained - usually this is done by the brain
What does the control centre do?
- evaluates input received from receptors and generates output command
- output involves nerve impulses, hormones, or other chemical agents
What does the effector do?
- receives output from the control centre and produces a response of effect that changes the controlled condition
What does a negative feedback system do?
- reverses a change in a controlled condition
What does a positive feedback system do?
- strengthens or reinforces a change in one of the body’s controlled conditions
What are the four most common atoms in the human body?
- carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, hydrogen
