A & P Midterm (1)

Description:	1st 1/2 term mixed from chapters
Category:	Medical
Created by:	Linnette Francois on 2009-10-09

Question	Answer
anatomy	Study of the structure of living organisms.
physiology	Study of the function of living organisms.
hypothalamus	region of the diencephalon forming the floor of the 3rd ventricle of the brain
chemical level	simplest level of the structural ladder.
atom	the smallest part of an element; indivisible by ordinary chemical means.
cells	microscopic formations of atoms which associate in specific ways (smallest units of all living things)
tissues	consist of groups of similar cells that have a common function.
organ	structure composed of two/more tissue types that perform a specific function for the body.
organ system	group of organs that work together to accomplish a common purpose.
organism	the living animal, or plant, which represents the sum total of all its organ systems working together to maintain life.
integumentary system	external covering of the body, or the skin
skeletal system	consists of bones, cartilages, ligaments and joints.
muscular system	skeletal muscles which one function is to contract/shorten
skeletal muscles	large, fleshy muscles attached to bones
nervous system	body's fast acting control system; consists of brain, spinal cord, nerves and sensory receptors.
endocrine system	produce chemical molecules called hormones and release them into the blood to travel to relatively distant target organs.
What is the common function of the endocrine system?	all secrete hormones that regulate other structures.
cardiovascular system	carries oxygen, nutrients, hormones and other substances to & from the tissue cells where exchanges are made
blood	the transporting fluid of the cardiovascular system
heart	pumps, propelling blood out of its chambers into the blood vessels to be transported to all body tissues
lymphatic system	return fluid leaked from the blood back to the blood vessels so that the blood can be lymphatic vessels, lymph nodes & lymphoid organs/tissues; drains excess tissue fluid from the extracellular space & provides site for immune surveillance
lymph nodes/lymphoid organs	cleanse the blood and house the cells involves in immunity
respiratory system	keep body constantly supplied with oxygen & remove carbon dioxide; include nasal passages, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi & lungs
digestive system	tube running through the bony from mouth to anus; breakdown actives begin in mouth completed in the small intestine; then major function to reclaim water
urinary system	removes nitrogen-containing wastes from the blood & flushes them from the body in urine
excretory system	function(s) include maintaining the water & salt (electrolyte) balance & regulate the acid-base balance of the blood; composed of kidneys, ureters, bladder & urethra
reproductive system	primary function to product offspring
maintaining boundaries	maintain its boundaries so that its "inside" remains distinct from its outside
cranial	pertaining to the skull
cervical	refers to the neck or the neckline portion of an organ or structure.
excretion	elimination of waste products from the body
irritability	ability to respond to a stimulus
tissue	a group of similar cells, and their intercellular substance, specialized to perform a specific function; primary tissue types of the body are epithelial, connective, muscle and nervous system.
distal	away from the attached end of a limb or the origin of a structure.
gland	organ specialized to secrete or excrete substances for further use in the body, or for elimination.
midsagittal (median) section	specific sagittal plane that lies exactly in the midline.
carpal	one of eight bone of the wrist
anterior	the front of an organism, organ/part; the ventral surface
positive feedback mechanisms	Feedback that tends to cause the level of a variable to change in the same direction as an initial change.
anatomical position	standard position that the body will always be considered when discussing directional terms
interstitial fluid	Fluid between the cells rich in nutrients which each cell extracts exact amounts it needs at specific times & rejects the rest.
nucleus	Control center of a cell; contains genetic material.
nuclear envelope/membrane	double membrane area by which the nuclear is bound
neucleoplasm	the jelly-like fluid which encloses the nuclear membrane
nucleoli	Dense spherical bodies in the cell nucleus involved with ribosomal sub-unit synthesis and storage.
chromatin	Structures in the nucleus that carry the hereditary factors (genes).
chromosomes	Bar-like bodies of tightly coiled chromatin; visible during cell division.
plasma membrane	Membrane, composed of three lamina layers, that encloses cell contents; outer limiting cell membrane.
phosolipid	Modified lipid containing phosphorus.
microvilli	Tiny projections on the free surfaces of some epithelial cells; increase surface area for absorption.
tight junctions	impermeable junctions that bind cells together into leak proof sheets that prevent substances from passing through the extracellular space between cells.
Desmosomes	area anchoring junctions that prevent cells subjected to mechanical stress (such as skin cells) from being pulled apart.
Gap junctions	commonly seen in the heart and between embryonic cells, function mainly to allow communications.
connexons	hollow cylinders composed of proteins that span the entire width of the abutting membranes
cytoplasm	The cellular material surrounding the nucleus and enclosed by the plasma membrane.
cytosol	semi-transparent fluid that suspends the other elements.
organelles	Small cellular structures (ribosomes, mitochondria, and others) that perform specific metabolic functions for the cell as a whole.
inclusions	chemicals substances that may/may not be present, depending on the specific cell type.
cytoplasmic organelles	specialized cellular compartments each are performing its own job to maintain the life of the cell.
mitochondria	Cytoplasmic organelles responsible for ATP generation for cellular activities.
cristae	shelf like protrusions in the inner membrane that carry out the reactions where oxygen is used to break down foods causing ATP molecules
ATP molecules	heat escape from process of oxygen breaking down food; provides energy for all cellular work and every living cell requires constant supply of ATP for its many activities.
ribosomes	Cytoplasmic organelles at which proteins are synthesized.
endoplasmic reticulum	is a system of fluid-filled tubules/canals that coil and twist through the cytoplasm; accounts for 1/2 of the cell's membranes.
rough endoplasmic reticulum	studded with ribosomes; essentially all of the building materials are formed in it or on it. Cell's membrane factory.
smooth ER	no role in protein synthesis; functions in lipid metabolism
golgi apparatus	appears as a stack of flattened membranous sacs, associated with swarms of tiny vesicles. found close to the nucleus and is the principal "traffic director"
secretory vesicles	the swollen ends of the golgi apparatus that pinch off & travel to the plasma membrane; filled with protein
lysosomes	Organelles that originate from the Golgi apparatus and contain strong digestive enzymes.
peroxisomes	membranous sacs containing powerful oxidase enzymes that use molecular oxygen to detoxify a number of harmful or poisonous substances, including alcohol & formaldehyde
free radicals	highly reactive chemicals with unpaired electrons that can scramble the structure of proteins & nucleic acids
cytoskeleton	elaborate network of protein structures extending throughout the cytoplasm
intermediate filaments	help form desdesmosomes and provide internal guy wires to resist pulling forces on the cell.
microfilaments	most involved in cell motility and in producing changes in cell shape
microtubules	determine the overall shape of a call and the distribution or organelles
centrioles	Minute body found near the nucleus of the cell; active in cell division.
cilia	projections/whip like cellular extensions that move substances along the cell surface
flagella	substantially longer than cilia
fibroblasts	elongated cells that secrete cable-like fibers
Erythrocytes	Red blood cells.
solution	homogeneous mixture of two or more components
solvent	Dissolving medium in which the substance present is the largest amount
solute	components or substances that are dissolved in a solution in smaller amounts
intracellular fluid	Fluid within a cell.
selective permeability	barrier allows some substances to pass through while excluding others
passive transport	substances are transported across the membrane without any energy input from the cell
active transport	cell provides metabolic (ATP) energy that drives the transport process
diffusion	The spreading of particles in a gas/solution with a movement toward uniform distribution of particles. (passive transport)
filtration	process by which water & solutes are forced through a membrane/capillary wall by fluid/hydrostatic pressure (passive transport); not very selective, mostly only blood cells/protein molecules too large to pass through membrane pores & are held back.
concentration gradient	process by which molecules move around randomly at high speeds, colliding/changing direction with each collision; overall effect of this erratic process of this erratic movement is that molecules move down their concentration gradient
hydrophobic core of a plasma membrane is	a physical barrier to diffusion
hydrophobic core molecules will pass through the plasma membrane if	small enough to pass through pores, able to dissolve in fatty portion of membrane, or assisted by membrane carrier.
simple diffusion	unassisted diffusion of solutes through the plasma membrane/any selectively permeable membrane.
osmosis	Diffusion of a solvent through a membrane from a dilute solution into a more concentrated one.
facilitated diffusion	provides passage for certain needed substances (notably glucose) that are both lipid-insoluble & too large to pass through the membrane pores; used protein membrane channel/protein molecule acts as a carrier is needed as a transport vehicle
hydrostatic pressure	usually exerted by the blood
pressure gradient	Difference in hydrostatic pressure that drives filtration; actually pushes solute containing fluid (filtrate) from higher-pressure area to lower-pressure area