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Human Body Systems
| Term | Definition |
|---|---|
| Tissue | a group of similar cells that perform a specific function |
| Organ | a body structure that is composed of different kinds of tissues that work together |
| Organ System | a group of organs that work together to perform a major function |
| Gland | an organ that produces and releases chemicals either through ducts or into the bloodstream |
| Hormone | (1) the chemical produced by an endocrine gland (2) a chemical that affects growth and development |
| Stress | the reaction of a person's body to potentially threatening, challenging, or disturbing events |
| Interactions | the direct effect that one thing has on another |
| Stable | resistant to sudden change |
| Digestion | the process by which your body breaks down food into small nutrient molecules |
| Nutrients | the substances in food that provide the raw materials the body's cells need to carry out all the essential processes |
| Absorption | the process by which nutrient molecules pass through the wall of the digestive system into the blood |
| Carbohydrates | a energy - rich organic compound,such as sugar or starch, that is made of elements carbon, hydrogen and oxygen |
| Peristalsis | waves of smooth muscle contractions that move food through the esophagus toward the stomach |
| Saliva | fluid released from glands in the mouth that play an important role in mechanical and chemical digestion |
| Enzymes | proteins that speed up chemical reactions in the body |
| Elimination | act of removal of materials from the body |
| Circulatory System | an organ system that transports needed materials to cells and removes waste |
| Contract | to draw together; to reduce in size |
| Artery | a blood vessel that carries blood back to the heart |
| Vein | a blood vessel that carries blood back to the heart |
| Capillary | a tiny blood vessel where substances are exchanged between the blood and body cells |
| Lymph | fluid that travels through the lymphatic system consisting of water, white blood cells |
| Bronchi | the two passages that direct air into the lungs |
| Alveoli | tiny thin - walled sacs of lung tissue specialized for the movement of gases between air and blood |
| Excretion | the process of moving waste |
| Nephron | small filtering structure in the kidneys that removes wastes from blood and produces urine |
| Neuron | a cell that carries information through the nervous system |
| Synapse | the junction where one neuron can transfer an impulse to another neuron |
| Impulse | the message carried by a neuron |
| Brain | the part of the central nervous system that is located in the skull and controls most functions of the body |
| Spinal Cord | thick column of nervous tissue that links the brain to most of the nerves that branch out through the body |
| Reflex | automatic response that occurs without conscious control through the somatic nervous system |
| Negative feedback | the process by which a system is turned off by the condition it produces |