Organisation of the Human Body Flashcards
What are the 6 levels of organisation of the body?
- Chemical
- Cellular
- Tissue
- Organ
- Organ System
- Organismic
What are the 4 types of tissue?
- epithelial
- muscular
- connective
- nervous
What 4 major elements make up 96% of body mass?
oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen
What are the 9 lesser elements that make up 3.9% of the body’s mass?
calcium
phosphorus
potassium
sulfur
sodium
chlorine
magnesium
iodine
iron
What are the 13 trace elements that make up 0.1% of the body’s mass?
aluminium
boron
chromium
cobalt
copper
fluorine
manganese
molybdenum
selenium
silicon
tin
vanadium
zinc
What is Ca used for in the body?
- bones and teeth
- muscle contraction
- nerve transmission
- release of hormones
- blood clotting
What is P used for in the body?
- bones and teeth
- nucleic acids and proteins
- forms part of ATP
What is K used for in the body?
- necessary for many cellular chemical reactions (e.g.: muscular contractions and nerve impulses).
What is S used for in the body?
- component of some vitamins and many proteins
What is Na used for in the body?
- needed for many chemical reactions in extracellular fluid
- plays a role in water balance
- nerve impulses
- muscle contractions
What is Cl used for in the body?
- needed for many chemical reactions in the extracellular fluid
What is Mg used for in the body?
- mainly found in bones
- needed for activity of more than 300 enzymes in the body
What is I used for in the body?
- needed for the synthesis of thyroid hormones
What is Fe used for in the body?
- component of haemoglobin molecule
Which vitamins are fat soluble?
vitamins A, D, E and K
Where are fat-soluble vitamins stored?
stored in the liver and fatty tissues
Which vitamins are water-soluble?
vitamins B and C
Where are water-soluble vitamins stored?
they’re not stored by the body and are easily lost through excretion (they’re also more sensitive to the effects of storing and cooking).
What are 5 important functions of water in the body?
- solvent
- high specific heat capacity
- high latent heat of evaporation
- metabolite (hydrolysis and condensation reactions)
- transport medium (adhesion and cohesion)
Cytology
= the study of cells, which are the basic structural and functional units of the body
What 3 types of lipids are present in the plasma membrane?
- phospholipids
- glycolipids
- cholesterol
What is the purpose of glycolipids in the plasma membrane?
- cell communication
- growth
- development
- cell identity markers that enable them to recognise foreign cells
What is the purpose of phospholipids in the plasma membrane?
- impermeable to most water-soluble molecules (due to the hydrophobic tails and hydrophilic heads that cause a bilayer to form).
What is the purpose of cholesterol in the plasma membrane?
help to strengthen the membrane
What are the 2 types of proteins scattered in the phospholipid bilayer?
integral and peripheral proteins
What are integral proteins?
extend through the phospholipid bilayer to create channels, which allow for the passage of materials in and out of the cell (i.e.: glycoproteins which are cell identity markers)
What are peripheral proteins?
loosely attached to the surfaces of the membrane and they can separate easily from it
What is cytosol?
a thick, transparent, gel-like fluid made up of mainly water (but also contains solids, solutes and vacuoles, which house cellular wastes and secretions).
Mitochondria
- “powerhouses” of the cell
- where ATP is generated through cellular respiration
Ribosomes
- where proteins are made
- some are free ribosomes (in cytoplasm) and some are attached to to the ER.
Endoplasmic reticulum (ER)
- network of fluid-filled cisterns (channels or tubules) that coils through the cytoplasm
- provides a large surface area for chemical reactions
- transports molecules within the cell
Rough ER
- ribosomes attached
- provides a site for protein synthesis
- temporarily stores new protein molecules
- participates in the formation of glycoproteins
- works with the Golgi complex to make and package molecules that are secreted from the cell
Smooth ER
- no ribosomes attached (so no proteins made here)
- provides a site for synthesis of certain lipids (fatty acids, phospholipids, steroids)
- provides a site for detoxification of chemicals (alcohol, pesticides, carcinogens)
Golgi apparatus
- made of flattened cisterns with tiny vesicles attached to their edges
- processes, sorts and packages proteins and lipids for delivery to plasma membrane
- forms lysosomes and secretory vesicles
Lysosomes
- these vesicles are formed inside the Golgi apparatus
- contain powerful digestive enzymes and are able to break down and recycle many different molecules
- help recycle cell’s own worn-out structures, as well as foreign substances
Peroxisomes
= vesicles containing enzymes that detoxify any potentially harmful substances in cell