Week 1 Terms Flashcards
Anatomy
Study of structure & form
Physiology
Study of the function of the body parts
Anatomist
Scientist who studies form & structure of organisms
Physiologist
Scientists that examme how organ & body systems function under normal circumstances
Scientific Method
Systematic & rigorous process by which scientists:
• examine natural events through observation
-develop a hypothesis for explaining these phenomena
-experiment and test the hypothesis through the collection of data
-determine if the data supports the hypothesis, or if the hypothesis needs to be rejected or modified
Microscopic anatomy
Examines structures that cannot be seen by the unaided eye
Cytology
Study of body cells and their internal structure
Histology
Study of body tissues
Gross Anatomy (Macroscopic Anatomy)
Investigates the structure and relationship of the body parts that are visible to the unaided eye, such as the intestines, stomach, brain, heart, and kidneys
Systemic anatomy
Studies the anatomy of each functional body system
Regional anatomy
Examines all the structures in a particular region of the body as a complete unit
Surface anatomy
Focuses on both superficial anatomic markings and the internal body structures that relate to the skin covering them
Comparative anatomy
Examines the similarities and differences in the anatomy of different species
Embryology
Discipline concerned with developmental changes occurring from conception to birth
Pathologic anatomy
Examines all anatomic changes resulting from disease
Radiographic anatomy
Investigates the relationships among internal structures that may be visualized by specific scanning procedures
Cardiovascular physiology
Examines the functioning of the heart, blood vessels, and blood
Cardiovascular physiologist
Examine how the heart pumps blood, what are the parameters for healthy blood pressure within the blood vessels, and details of the cellular exchange mechanisms by which respiratory gases, nutrients, and wastes move between blood and body structures
Neurophysiology
Examines how nerve impulses are propagated throughout the nervous system
Respiratory physiology
Studies how respiratory gases are transferred by gas exchange between the lungs and blood vessels
Reproductive physiology
Explores how regulation of reproductive hormones can drive the reproductive cycle and influence sec production and maturation
Pathophysiology
Investigates the relationship between functioning of an organ system and disease/injury to that organ system
Organization
All organisms exhibit complex structure and order
Metabolism
Sum of all chemical reactions that occur within the body
Anabolism
Small molecules are joined to form larger molecules
Catabolism
Large molecules are broken down into smaller molecules
Growth
Increased size
Development
Increased specialization as related to form and function
Responsiveness
Ability to detect and react to stimuli
Stimuli
Changes in the external or internal environment
Reproduction
All organisms produce new cells for growth, maintenance, and repair
Chemical level
Simplest level of organization. Involves atoms and molecules.
Atoms
Smallest unit of matter that exhibit the characteristics of an element
Molecule
Two or more atoms
Macromolecules
Complex molecules
Organelles
Specialized microscopic subunits in cells formed from macromolecules
Cells
Smallest living structures and serve as basic units of structure and function on organisms
Tissue
Group of similar cells that perform common functions
Organ
Two or more types of tissue work together to perform specific, complex functions
Organ system
Contains multiple related organs that work together to coordinate activities and achieve a common function
Supine
Lying down, face upward
Anatomic position
Stands upright with feet parallel and flat on the floor, upper limbs are at the sides of the body, and the palms face anteriorly; head is level, and the eyes look forward toward the observer
Section
An actual cut or slice to expose the internal anatomy
Plane
Imaginary flat surface passing through the body
Coronal plane
Vertical plane that divides the body or organ into anterior and posterior parts
Transverse
Divides the body or organ into superior and inferior parts
Midsagittal plane
Vertical plane that divides the body or organ into equal left and right halves
Sagittal plane
Divides a structure into left and right portions that are not equal
Parasagittal plane
A sagittal plane that extends through the body vertically and divides it into unequal left and right halves
Oblique plane
Pass through a structure at an angle
Anterior
In front of; toward the front surface
Posterior
In back of; toward the back surface
Dorsal
Toward the back side of the human body
Ventral
Toward the belly side of the human body
Superior
Closer to the head
Inferior
Closer to the feet
Cranial (cephalic)
Toward the head end
Caudal
Toward the rear or tail end
Rostral
Toward the nose or mouth
Medial
Toward the midline of the body
Lateral
Away from the midline of the body
Ipsilateral
On the same side
Contralateral
On the opposite side
Deep
Closer to the inside, internal to another structure
Superficial
Closer to the outside, external to another structure
Proximal
Closer to the point of attachment to trunk
Distal
Farther away from point of attachment to trunk
Abdominal Region
Region inferior to the thorax and superior to the pelvic brim of the hip bones
Antebrachial
Forearm (portion of the upper limb between the elbow and the wrist
Antecubital
Region anterior to the elbow (front of the elbow)
Auricular
Ear (visible surface structures)
Axillary
Armpit
Brachial
Arm (portion of the upper limb between the shoulder and elbow)
Buccal
Cheek
Calcaneal
Heel of foot
Carpal
Wrist
Cephalic
Head
Cervical
Neck
Coxal
Hip
Cranial
Skull
Crural
portion of lower limb between knee and ankle (shin)
Deltoid
Shoulder
Digital
Fingers or toes (aka phalangeal)
Dorsal
Back
Facial
Face
Femoral
Thigh
Fibular
Lateral aspect of the leg
Frontal
Forehead
Gluteal
Buttock
Hallux
Great toe
Inguinal
Groin
Lumbar
The “small of the back”: the inferior part of the back between the ribs and pelvis
Mammary
Breast
Manus
Hand
Mental
Chin
Nasal
Nose
Occipital
Posterior aspect of the head
Olecranal
Posterior aspect of the elbow
Oral
Mouth
Orbital
Eye
Palmar
Palm (anterior surface) of the hand
Patellar
Kneecap
Pectoral
Chest, includes mammary region
Pelvic
Pelvis; region inferior to pelvic brim of hip bones
Perineal
Diamond shaped region between the thighs that contains the anus and external reproductive organs
Pes
Foot
Plantar
Sole of the foot
Pollex
Thumb
Popliteal
Area posterior to knee
Pubic
Anterior region of pelvis
Radial
Lateral aspect (thumb side) of forearm
Sacral
Posterior region between the hip bones
Scapular
Shoulder blade
Sternal
Anterior middle region of thorax
Sural
Calf (posterior part of the leg)
Tarsal
Proximal part of the foot and ankle
Thoracic
Part of torso superior to thoracic diaphragm; contains the pectoral, axillary, and sternal regions
Tibial
Medial aspect of leg
Ulnar
Medial aspect (pinky side) of the forearm
Umbilical
Navel
Vertebral
Spinal column
Posterior aspect
Contains cavities that are completely encased in bone and are physically and developmentally different from the ventral cavity
Cranial cavity
Formed by the bones of the cranium; contains the brain
Vertebral canal
Formed by the bones of the vertebral column; contains spinal cord
Ventral cavity
Does not completely encase its organs in bones; partitioned by thoracic diaphragm into thoracic cavity and abdominopelvic cavity
Parietal layer
Lines the internal surface of the body wall
Visceral layer
Covers the external surface of the organs within that cavity
Mediastinum
Median space between the lungs; contains heart, thymus, esophagus, trachea, and major blood vessels that connect to the heart
Parietal pericardium
Outer layer of the serous membrane and forms the inner lining of the sac around the heart
Visceral pericardium
Covers the heart’s external surface
Pericardial cavity
Serous cavity between the parietal and visceral pericardium, and it contains serous fluid
Parietal pleura
Outer layer of the serous membrane and lines the internal surface of the thoracic wall
Visceral pleura
Covers the external surface of each lung
Pleural cavity
Serous cavity between parietal and visceral layers; contains serous fluid
Abdominal cavity
Superior to pelvic brim of hip bones; contains most of digestive system organs, kidneys, and most of the ureters
Pelvic cavity
Inferior to pelvic brim; contains distal part of lathe intestine, remainder of ureters, urinary bladder, and internal reproductive organs
Peritoneum
Two-layered serous membrane associated with abdominopelvic cavity
Parietal peritoneum
Lines internal walls of abdominopelvic cavity
Visceral peritoneum
Covers the external surfaces of most abdominal and pelvic organs
Peritoneal cavity
Cavity between parietal and visceral peritoneum
Umbilical Region
Middle region; named for the umbilicus (navel) that lies in the center
Epigastric region
Superior to umbilical region
Hypogastric region
Inferior to umbilical region
Right and left hypochondriac regions
Inferior to costal cartilages and lateral to epigastric region
Right and left lumbar regions
lateral to umbilical region
Right and left iliac regions
lateral to hypogastric region
Receptor
Body structure that detects changes in a variable; typically consists of sensory neurons; detects a stimulus
Variable
A substance or process that is regulated
Stimulus
A change in the variable
Control center
Structure that both interprets input from receptor and initiates changes through the effector; generally a portion of nervous system (brain or spinal cord) or an organ of endocrine system (ex. thyroid gland)
Effector
Structure that brings about the change to alter the stimulus
Negative feedback
Resulting action will always be in the opposite direction of the stimulus
Positive feedback
Stimulus is reinforced to continue in the same direction until a climactic event occurs
Set point
Variable is maintained within a normal level
