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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 their 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 the 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 away from 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, and dissolved materials. |
| 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 wastes. |
| 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. |