Flashcards: BIOL 121 Chp 1 Vocab - An Intro to the Human Body
About these flashcards
Created by:
robswatski 
on June 22, 2009
Subjects:
anatomy, physiology, biology, science, human body, homeostasis, medical, clinical
Description:
This set contains vocabulary words from Chp 1: An Introduction to the Human Body (Tortora & Derrickson, Principles of Anatomy & Physiology, 13th Ed, Wiley, 2012). Visit my iTunes U site for Anatomy podcasts and PDF files of all of my anatomy photo visual guides! http://itunes.apple.com/WebOb (see more)
Groups:
Mossad-Alf and the Kosher Nostra, Anatomy and Physiology I (BIOL 121) Study Group
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Terms | Definitions |
|---|---|
 anatomy | the branch of science that studies body structures and the relationships of its organs |
| physiology | the branch of science that studies the functions of the body |
| embryology | the study of the first eight weeks of development after fertilization of a human egg |
| developmental biology | the study of the complete development of an individual from fertilization to death |
| cytology | the study of cellular structure and functions |
| histology | the study of the microscopic structure of tissues |
| surface anatomy | the study of internal structures that can be identified from the outside of the body through visualization and palpation |
| gross anatomy | the study of body structures that can be examined without a microscope |
| systemic anatomy | the study of specific systems of the body such as the nervous or respiratory systems |
| regional anatomy | the study of the structural arrangement of specific body areas, such as the head, neck, chest, or abdomen |
| radiographic anatomy | the study of body structures that can be visualized with x-rays |
| pathological anatomy | the study of structural changes in the body associated with disease |
| neurophysiology | the study of the functional properties of nerve cells |
| endocrinology | the study of hormones and how they control body functions |
| cardiovascular physiology | the study of the functions of the heart and blood vessels |
| immunology | the study of how the body defends itself against disease-causing agents |
| respiratory physiology | the study of the functions of the air passageways and lungs |
| renal physiology | the study of the functions of the kidneys |
| exercise physiology | the study of the changes in cell and organ functions due to muscular activity |
| pathophysiology | the study of the functional changes associated with disease and aging |
| atom | the smallest unit of matter that participates in chemical reactions |
| molecule | two or more atoms bonded together |
| cell | the basic structural and functional unit of a living organism |
| tissue | a group of similar specialized cells that work together to perform specific functions |
| organ | a structure composed of two or more different types of tissues working together to perform specific functions |
| system | a group of related organs having a common function |
| organism | a collection of inter-connected living systems |
| metabolism | the sum of all the chemical processes that occur in the body |
| catabolism | the breakdown of complex chemical substances into simpler components |
| anabolism | the building up of complex chemical substances from smaller, simpler components |
| responsiveness | an organism's ability to detect and react to changes in its external or internal environment |
| movement | includes motion of the whole body, individual organs, single cells, and tiny structures inside cells |
| growth | an increase in body size that results from an increase in the size of existing cells, an increase in the number of cells, or both |
| differentiation | the development of a cell from an unspecialized to a specialized state |
| stem cell | a precursor cell that can divide and give rise to cells that undergo differentiation |
| reproduction | refers to either the formation of new cells for tissue growth, repair, or replacement or the production of a new individual |
| homeostasis | the balanced state of equilibrium in the body's internal environment that is constantly maintained through interactions of all body processes |
| intracellular fluid | the cytoplasm found inside cells |
| extracellular fluid | the tissue fluid found outside cells; also called intercellular or interstitial fluid |
| plasma | the specific extracellular fluid that surrounds blood cells |
| negative feedback system | a process that results in a response that reverses the original stimulus |
| positive feedback system | a process that results in a response that enhances the original stimulus |
| stimulus | any change in the internal or external environment of an organism |
| receptor | a specialized nerve cell that monitors a controlled condition |
| controlled condition | a body factor that is continually monitored by receptors |
| control center | this determines the next action in a feedback system by sending output to an effector |
| effector | a muscle or gland that generates a response that adjusts a controlled condition |
| disorder | a general term for any abnormal bodily function |
| disease | a specific term that describes a certain illness |
| sign | an objective change in the body that can be observed and measured, such as a rash or fever |
| symptom | a subjective change in the body not obvious to an observer, such as a headache or nausea |
| aging | the gradual decline in the body's ability to maintain and restore homeostasis |
| anatomical position | a standard method of observing the human body |
| prone | lying face-down |
| supine | lying flat on the back ("on the spine") |
| anterior | the front of the body; also called ventral |
| posterior | the back of the body; also called dorsal |
| medial | closer to the body's midline |
| lateral | farther from the body's midline |
| superior | towards the head |
| inferior | away from the head |
| proximal | closer to the attachment of a limb to the trunk |
| distal | farther from the attachment of a limb to the trunk |
| plane | an imaginary division of the body or a structure into specific regions |
| section | this results from the actual physical cuts made through the body or a structure |
| midsagittal section | this divides the body or structure into equal right and left halves |
| frontal section | this divides the body or structure into anterior and posterior portions; also referred to as "coronal" |
| transverse section | this divides the body or structure into superior and inferior portions; also referred to as "horizontal" or "cross-sectional" |
| oblique section | this divides the body or structure in a diagonal direction |
| noninvasive diagnostic technique | a method of assessing certain aspects of body structure and function that does not involve insertion of an instrument or device through the skin or a body opening |
| inspection | examining the body by observing for any changes that deviate from normal |
| palpation | examining the body by touching and feeling body surfaces with the hands |
| auscultation | examining the body by listening to body sounds to evaluate the functioning of certain organs |
| percussion | examining the body by tapping on the body surface with the fingertips and listening to the resulting echo |
| dorsal body cavity | this includes the cranial cavity and the spinal canal |
| cranial cavity | a subdivision of the dorsal body cavity that contains the brain; formed by the bones of the skull |
| vertebral canal | a subdivision of the dorsal body cavity that contains the spinal cord; formed by the vertebrae |
| ventral body cavity | the large, anterior area of the body that consists of the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities |
| thoracic cavity | this consists of the mediastinum, pleural, and pericardial cavities |
| mediastinum | the cavity that surrounds the heart, great blood vessels, esophagus, trachea, and thymus gland |
| pericardial cavity | this surrounds the heart |
| pleural cavity | this surrounds each lung |
| abdominopelvic cavity | this area of the body is located inferior to the thoracic cavity |
| serous membrane | this lines the pleural, pericardial, and peritoneal cavities |
| parietal layer | the portion of a serous membrane that lines the walls of a body cavity |
| visceral layer | the portion of a serous membrane that covers and adheres to organs inside a body cavity |
| serous fluid | the membrane secretion that functions as a lubricant, allowing visceral organs to slide past each other without friction |
| pleural membrane | this lines the cavity that surrounds each lung |
| pericardial membrane | this surrounds and protects the heart |
| peritoneum | the transparent membrane that lines the abdominal cavity and covers most of its organs |
| abdominopelvic region | one of nine areas created by criss-crossing four imaginary lines that divide the body like a tic-tac-toe grid; used to describe organ location or abnormalities |
| abdominopelvic quadrant | one of four areas created by intersecting two imaginary lines through the umbilicus |
| conventional radiography | an imaging technique that passes x-rays through the body, which expose x-ray film to produce a negative image called a radiograph |
| contrast xray | an imaging technique that generates radiographs using an injected medium; used to create more detailed views of blood vessels, the urinary system, and GI tract |
| computed tomography | a type of radiography using a moving x-ray beam, where multiple scans are combined to create 3-D views revealing more soft tissue details |
| ultrasound | a procedure that uses high-frequency sound waves to determine the size and position of a developing fetus |
| magnetic resonance imaging | a noninvasive imaging technique that exposes the body to a high-energy magnetic field, which causes protons in the body to arrange themselves in relation to the field; creates a color-coded image on a monitor |
| radionuclide scanning | an imaging technique using an IV radioactive substance that generates a color video image, with areas of intense color representing high tissue activity and areas of less intense color representing low tissue activity; used to study the activity of a tissue or organ such as the brain, heart, lungs, and liver |
| positron emission tomography | an imaging technique that uses an injected substance which emits positively charged particles, a gamma camera, and a computer that constructs a color image; shows where the injected substance is being used in the body |