The Human Body: An Orientation Flashcards
What is the difference b/w Histology and Radiography?
- Histology: (aka. microscopic anatomy)
- The study of structures that are so small they can be seen only w/ a microscope.
- These structures include cells and cell parts - Radiography
- The study of internal body structures by means of X-ray studies and other imaging techniques.
Define a tissue.
List the 4 types of tissue in the body and briefly state the function of each
- Tissue - a group of cells that work together to perform a common function
- 4 types of tissues:
a. Epithelial tissue - covers the body surface and lines its cavities
b. Connective tissue - supports the body and protects its organs
c. Muscle tissue - provides movement
d. Nervous tissue - provides fast internal communication by transmitting electrical impulses
List the Organ systems and their major functions
- Integumentary sys
- Skeletal sys
- Muscular sys
- Nervous sys
- Endocrine sys
- Cardiovascular sys
- Lymphatic sys / Immunity
- Respiratory sys
- Digestive sys
- Urinary sys
- Reproductive sys (male & female)
Function of the Integumentary sys
- Forms the external body covering and protects deeper tissues from injury
- Synthesizes vit D and houses cutaneous receptors (pain, pressure, etc) and sweat and oil glands
Function of the Skeletal sys
- Protects and supports body organs and provides a framework the muscles use to cause movement
- Blood cells are formed w/i bones. Bones store minerals
Function of the Muscular sys
- Allows manipulation of the environment, locomotion and facial expression
- Maintains posture and produces heat
Function of the Nervous sys
As the fast-acting control sys of the body, it responds to internal and external changes by activating appropriate muscles and glands
Function of the Endocrine sys
Glands secrete hormones that regulate processes such as growth, reproduction, and nutrient use (metabolism) by body cells
Function of the Cardiovascular sys
- Blood vessels transport blood, which carries O2, CO2, nutrients and wastes, etc
- The heart pumps blood
Function of the Lymphatic sys/ Immunity
- Picks up fluid leaked from blood vessels and returns it to blood
- Disposes of debris in the lymphatic stream
- Houses white blood cells (lymphocytes) involved in immunity
- The immune response mounts the attach against foreign substances w/i the body
Function of the Respiratory sys
- Keeps blood constantly supplied w/ O2 and removes CO2
- The gaseous exchanges occur thr. the walls of the air sacs of the lungs
Function of the Digestive sys
- Breaks down food into absorbable units that enter the blood for distribution to body cells
- Indigestible foodstuffs are eliminated as feces
Function of the Urinary sys
- Eliminates nitrogenous wastes from the body
- Regulates water, electrolytes, and acid-base balance of the blood
Function of the Reproductive sys
- Overall function is production of offspring
- Testes produce sperm and male sex hormone, and male ducts and glands aid in delivery of sperm to the female reproductive tract
- Ovaries produce eggs and female sex hormones
- The remaining female structures serve as sites for fertilization and development of the fetus
- Mammary glands of female breasts produce milk to nourish the newborn
List the Axial regions
- Cephalic
- Cervical
- Thoracic
- Abdominal
- Pelvic (thorax, abdomen and pelvis are grouped into trunk)
- Pubic (genital)
- Perineal (also belongs to trunk)
List the appendicular regions
Appendages are also called extremities
- Upper limb
- Manus (hand)
- Lower limb
- Pedal (foot)
List the 3 planes
- Frontal (coronal) Plane - extends vertically and divides the body into anterior and posterior parts
- Transverse (horizontal) Plane - runs horizontally from right to left, dividing the body into superior and inferior parts
- Median (midsagittal) plane - vertical, divide the body into right and left parts (lies in the midline)
- - If the sagittal plane doesn’t lie in the midline, it’s parasagittal plane.
List the basics features that vertebrates share
- Tube-w/i-a-tube body plan
- Bilateral symmetry
- Dorsal hollow nerve cord
- Notochord and vertebrae
- Segmentation
- Pharyngeal pouches
Dorsal body cavity: subdivisions
Subdivided into a cranial cavity and vertebral cavity
- Cranial cavity: lies in the skull and encases the brain
- Vertebral cavity: runs thr. the vertebral column to enclose the spinal cord
Ventral body cavity: subdivisions
Divided into 2 main parts:
- Superior thoracic cavity: surrounded by the ribs and the muscles of the chest wall
- Inferior abdominopelvic cavity: surrounded by the abdominal walls and pelvic girdle
Note: the two divisions are separated by the diaphragm
List the parts in the Thoracic cavity, and the organs enclosed
- Pleural cavity (two lateral parts) – Lungs
- Mediastinum
a. Superior mediastinum - housing other major thoracic organs, such as the esophagus and trachea - Pericardial cavity within the mediastinum - Heart
List the parts in the Abdominopelvic cavity, and the organs enclosed
The cavity is surrounded by a peritoneal cavity; the two parts below are not separated but continuous
- Abdominal cavity (superior part)
- Liver, stomach, kidneys and other organs - Pelvic cavity (inferior part)
- bladder, some reproductive organs and the rectum
List the 3 serous cavities and Name the two serous membranes that line the serous cavity
- Serous cavities:
- Pleura
- Pericardium
- Peritoneum - Membranes
- Parietal serosa
- Visceral serosa
- Serous cavity (in b/w the two membrane) - filled with serous fluid produced by BOTH membranes
Orientation and Directional Terms and know their meanings
- Superior (cranial) / Inferior (caudal)
- Medial / Lateral
- Proximal / Distal
- Ipsilateral / Contralateral
- Anterior (ventral) / Posterior (dorsal)
- Superficial (external) / Deep (internal)
The 2 commonly used histological stains for LM
- Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E stain)
- Hematoxylin is basic stain - will bind to acidic structures
Ex. nucleus, ribosomes, rough ER
- Stain purple / blue
- Eosin is acidic stain - will bine to basic structures
Ex. basic cytoplasmic structures and extracellular components.
- Stain red / pink
How are tissues stained for TEM
Heavy-metal salts - deflect electrons in the beam to different extents, providing contrast in the image
Scanning Electron Microscopy
- Used to provide 3D pictures of whole, unsectioned surfaces w/ striking clarity
- Procedures
- Specimen is preserved and coated w/ fine layers of carbon and gold dust
- Scan the specimen w/ an electron beam, which cause the secondary electrons to be emitted from its surface
- A detector captures these emitted electrons and assembles them into a 3D image on a video screen
X ray image
Absorption of X-ray depends on the density of the matter encountered, such as bones, tumors, TB nodules
- Darker area (exposed areas): represents soft organs which are easily penetrated by X-rays
- Light area (unexposed areas): corresponds to denser structures, such as bones, which absorb most X-rays
Hollow soft tissue: enhanced by contrast medium, such as barium (absorb more X-rays) – screen for ulcers and tumors
CT scanning
CT = computed tomography: produce superb images of soft tissue as well as of bone and blood vessels
– Providing good info in trauma situation to assess internal injury
- Patients lies in the central hole, situated b/w an X-ray tube and a recorder. The tube and the recorder rotate to make ~12 successive X-ray images around the person’s full circumference.
- Pictures are axial images (transversal)
Angiography
Angiography: a technique that produces image of blood vessels
- A Contrast medium is injected into a vessel and distributed via the vascular system.
- Used to diagnose aneurisms and atherosclerosis and for identifying a source of internal bleeding
DSA (digital subtraction angiography)
- Images of the vessel are taken before and after the injection of contrast medium
- The computer subtracts the “before” from the “after” image
- Used to identify blockage of the arteries that supply the heart wall and the brain
PET scan
PET = positron emission tomography
- Produce images by detecting radioactive isotopes injected into the body -
- Used to assess the functional flow of blood and areas of high metabolic activity, such as tumors b4 they are visible in CT or MRI imaging.
- Used to monitor the size and distribution of tumors and the response of cancerous tumors to therapeutic treatments
– As the radioactive material decays, it gives off energy in the form of gamma rays. Sensors pick the gamma rays, which are translated into electrical impulses and sent to the computer
MRI
MRI = Magnetic resonance imaging
- Detects the levels of the element hydrogen in the body, most of which is water. – distinguish body tissues from one another on the basis of differences in water content
- Bones contain less water than other tissues
- Fatty white matter contain less water than gray matter of the brain
- Joints, ligaments, cartilages are also visualized w/ MRI
Mechanisms:
- During the MRI scan, the nuclei of the body’s (spinning) H atoms line up patrolled to the strong magnetic field. The patient is then exposed to a brief pulse of radio waves which knock the spinning protons.
- When the radio waves are turned off, the protons return to their alignment in the magnetic field, emitting their own faint radio waves in the process
Sonograph
- aka. ultrasound
- Provides sonar images of developing fetuses and internal body structures.
- Allows for immediate, inexpensive visualization of internal organs
