| 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 |