Key terms Flashcards
Posterior/Dorsal body cavity
contains cranial cavity and vertebral canal
Anterior/Ventral body cavity
thoracic cavity and abdominopelvic cavity
Axial region
Main axis of the body (head, neck, trunk)
Appendicular region
appendages (arms, legs)
Homeostasis
Process by which organisms maintain a relatively stable internal environment
Negative feedback
a mechanism of response in which a stimulus initiates reactions that reduce the stimulus
Control center
processes the signal and sends instructions
negative feed back loop
is designed to stabilize a controlled variable
Anatomy
Study of the structure and relationship between body parts
Physiology
study of the function of body parts and the body as a whole
Gross anatomy
study of body parts visible to the naked eye
Histology
study of tissues at the microscopic level
Cytology
Study of cells at the microscopic level
Neurophysiology
study of how the nervous system functions
cell
smallest unit of life
Homeostasis
maintenance of stable internal conditions within specific limits
Organelles
specialized bodies within the cell that preform specific cellular function
Tissue
group of similar cells performing a common function
Organ
group of different kinds of tissues working together to perform an activity
Organ system
two or more organs working together to perform an activity
Organism
system possessing the characteristics of living things
Superior
above another structure
Inferior
Below another structure
Anterior/ventral
toward the front of the body
Posterior/Dorsal
toward the back of the body
Medial
toward the middle of the body
Lateral
away from the midline of the body (towards the side of the body)
Ipsilateral
on the same side of the body
contralateral
on the opposite side of the body
Intermediate
between two structures
Proximal
closer to the point of attachment of a limb
Superficial
toward the surface of the body
Deep
Away from the surface of the body
Sagittal planes
divide the body or organ open vertically into right and left parts
Midsagittal plane
divides the body into equal left and right halves
Parasagittal plane
divides body into unequal right and left sides
Frontal planes
divides the body vertically into anterior and posterior parts
Horizontal planes/Transversal planes
divides the body or organ horizontally into superior and inferior parts
Positive Feedback
feedback that tends to magnify a process or increase its output
