The Human Body Flashcards
Muscular system
The muscular system is made up of three types of muscle: cardiac muscle, skeletal muscle, and smooth muscle.
Heart
The heart is made of cardiac muscle that is involved in regulating contraction and relaxation of the heart.
Skeletal muscles
Skeletal muscles are those connected to bone that enable motion.
Smooth muscle
Smooth muscle lines organs and aids in digestion.
Oxygen
Cellular respiration can occur with or without oxygen. In aerobic processes (those that involve oxygen), oxygen is converted into energy in the form of ATP. In human respiration this is the gas that we inhale.
Carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is the gas that oxygen is exchanged for in respiration and therefore the gas that we exhale.
Water Vapor
This is the gas phase of water. It occurs as liquid water is evaporated or solid water (ice) undergoes sublimation.
Pharynx
The pharynx (also known as the throat) is the structure behind the nose and the mouth that connects them to the esophagus. Its main function is to receive and allow for the transmission of air to the lungs and food to the stomach.
Epiglottis
This is the flap behind the tongue that ensures that air goes to the lungs and food goes to the stomach. At rest, the epiglottis sits upright and flips over one way or the other, depending whether food or air enters the mouth/nose.
Trachea
The trachea (also known as the windpipe) is a passageway for air to get moist and warm as it makes its way to the lungs.
Bronchi
The trachea branches into the left and right bronchi. The bronchi are responsible for transporting air that has come through the windpipe to the lungs.
Lungs
After air leaves the left and right bronchi, it dumps into the left and right lungs, respectively. The lungs are spongy organs that can be broken down into smaller divisions to allow for gas exchange to occur.
Bronchioles
Also known as “little bronchi”, these are smaller branches that the left and right bronchi divide into.
Alveolus
These are tiny air sacs that branch off from the bronchioles where gas exchange occurs in the lungs.
Capillaries
These are tiny blood vessels that serve as a connection point between arterioles and venules, allowing nutrients to be transferred between blood and tissues
Diaphragm
The diaphragm is a skeletal muscle that sits below the lungs. As you inhale, the diaphragm contracts and flattens to allow your lungs to fill with more air. As you exhale the diaphragm relaxes so air can be pushed out of the lungs.
Circulatory system
The circulatory system is responsible for the transport of blood and nutrients throughout the body. It is made up of arteries, veins, capillaries, the lungs, the heart, the brain, and the kidneys.
Blood
Blood consists of red blood cells, which facilitate oxygenation, white blood cells, which aid in immunologic defense, plasma, which is the liquid medium inside of the circulatory system, and platelets, which also aid in defense.
Atrium/atria
These are the two receiving chambers of the heart. They appear on both the left and right sides of the heart above the ventricles.
Ventricles
These are the two pumping chambers of the heart. They appear on both the left and right sides of the heart below the atria.
Vena cava(e)
There are two vena cavae in the heart: superior and inferior. The superior vena cava drains the upper part of the body while the inferior vena cava drains the lower half of the body. Both of these dump deoxygenated blood into the right atrium.
Pulmonary artery
This is responsible for carrying deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs.
Pulmonary vein
This is responsible for carrying oxygenated blood from the lungs to the heart.
Aorta
This is the largest artery in the body. Oxygenated blood will leave the heart through the aorta to be sent throughout the whole body.
Artery
This is a blood vessel that carries blood away from the heart. You can think “A” and “Away”. Arteries typically carry oxygenated blood with the exception of the pulmonary artery, which carries deoxygenated blood.
Arterioles
Also known as “little arteries,” these are small branches off the arteries that connect arteries to capillaries.
Vein
A vein is a blood vessel that carries blood toward the heart. Veins typically carry deoxygenated blood with the exception of the pulmonary vein, which carries oxygenated blood.
Valves
There are four valves of the heart: the bicuspid (mitral) valve, tricuspid valve, aortic valve, and pulmonary valve. The tricuspid and bicuspid valves are also known as the atrioventricular (AV) valves as these are the two valves that separate the atria from the ventricles. The bicuspid (or mitral valve) separates the left atrium from the left ventricle, and the tricuspid valve separates the right atrium from the left atrium. The aortic valve connects the left ventricle to the aorta (hence the name), and the pulmonary valve connects the right ventricle to the lungs.
Diffusion
This is the movement of molecules from an area of high concentration to low concentration.
Venules
Also known as “little veins”, these are small branches off the veins that connect veins to capillaries.
Antigens
These are what the cells recognize as “self”. For example, if someone has a blood type A, they will have A antigens on the surface of their red blood cells. If they have AB blood, then they will have both A and B antigens. O blood is the absence of any antigens.
Rh factor
Rhesus (Rh) factor is an inherited protein that is found on the surface of red blood cells. Presence of this protein makes you Rh positive, and absence of this protein makes you Rh negative.
Universal donor
This is someone who can donate blood to someone with any blood type. The universal blood donor is blood type O since there are no antigens on the surface of its cells.
Universal recipient
This is someone who can receive blood from someone with any blood type. The universal blood recipient is blood type AB since there are both A and B antigens on the surface of its cells.
Digestive system
The digestive system functions to break food down into usable micro and macronutrients. Upon ingestion of food, the digestive process begins.
Small intestine
The small intestine primarily serves to absorb the nutrients from the chyme before passing it on to the large intestine (colon).
Large intestine
In the large intestine, further absorption of nutrients and water takes place, before passing the remaining matter, termed feces, to the rectum where it is excreted through the anus.
Kidneys
The kidneys function to remove waste from the bloodstream through a filtration system resulting in the production of urine.
Lungs
The lungs, in addition to providing oxygenated blood, remove carbon dioxide from the blood.
Skin
The skin is the organ through which perspiration (sweat) is released. It plays a minor role in excretion; its primary role is temperature regulation.
Salivary amylase
This is an enzyme found in the mouth that is responsible for the initial breakdown of starches from complex carbohydrates to monosaccharides (simple sugars).
Gastric acids
Gastric acid, also known as stomach acid, is the acidic fluid within the stomach. The pH of the stomach lies between 1 and 3 and is essential for activating digestive enzymes as well as breaking down proteins.
Pepsin
Pepsin is an enzyme found in the stomach that breaks down proteins into polypeptides.
Pancreas
The pancreas is an organ found below the liver. One of its main functions is to produce enzymes that break down food into a usable form for our body. One pancreatic enzyme is lipase, which is responsible for breaking down fats. Another pancreatic enzyme, pancreatic amylase, similar to salivary amylase, is responsible for breaking down starches. Finally, trypsin in the pancreas allows for the digestion of protein.
Liver
The liver is a large organ that is situated on the right side of the abdomen. It serves as producer of bile, metabolizer of nutrients, and an enzyme activator. It also helps with the excretion of drugs and hormones.
Bile
Bile is a green-brown fluid that is produced in the liver and stored in the gallbladder. It functions to carry wastes away and break down fats.
Brain
The brain contains two hemispheres (left and right) and three major parts: the cerebrum, the cerebellum, and the brain stem.
Cerebrum
The cerebrum, the largest portion of the brain, is responsible for numerous things such as (but not limited to) speech, judgment, problem-solving, and emotions. The cerebellum aids in balance and coordination. The brainstem connects with the spinal cord and regulates involuntary movements such as breathing and digestion.
Neurons
The neurons that make up the brain contain a nucleus and long branches that extend to other neurons. Chemical signals pass from one neuron to the next to transmit information.
Spinal Cord
The spinal cord connects the brain to the rest of the body. It is a bundle of nerves that runs vertically through the spine that branches throughout the body. Signals received by the senses travel through the spinal cord to be processed in the brain.
Medulla
The medulla is responsible for involuntary actions such as breathing and heart beat.
