Term | Definition |
Anatomy | the study of the structure of an organism (such as the human body) |
physiology | the study of the normal functions of an organism (such as the human body) |
abdomen | the part of the body trunk below the ribs and above the pelvis |
cells | the basic building blocks of the body |
tissues | a group of similar cells that cluster together to perform a specialized function |
organ | body part that has at least two different types of tissue working together to perform a particular function; examples include the brain, stomach, and liver |
vital organs | the organs essential for life, such as the brain, heart, and lungs |
organ system | tissues and organs that work together to provide a common function; examples of organ systems include the respiratory system and the nervous system |
homeostasis | the property of an organism allowing it to regulate its internal processes to maintain a constant internal environment; also called steady state |
body cavity | a hollow space in the body that contains internal penetration of the body |
cranial cavity | the body cavity located in the head that contains the brain |
spinal cavity | the body cavity that extends from the bottom of the skull to the lower back and contains the lower back and contains the spinal cord |
central nervous system (CNS) | the brain and spinal cord. |
thoracic (chest) cavity | the body cavity located below the neck and above the diaphragm. It contains the heart, major blood vessels, and lungs. |
pericardial cavity | the body cavity containing the heart |
pleural cavities | the body cavities containing the lungs; the right lung is located in the right lung is located in the right pleural cavity, and the left lung is located in the left pleural cavity |
abdominal cavity | the body cavity located below the diaphragm and above the pelvis. It contains the stomach, intestines, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, and spleen. |
peritoneal cavity | a potential space between two membranes that line the abdominal cavity, separating the abdominal organs from the abdominal wall |
pelvic cavity | |
navel (umbilicus) | |
right upper quadrant (RUQ) | |
left upper quadrant (LUQ) | |
right lower quadrant (RLQ) | |
left lower quadrant (LLQ) | |
skeletal system | the 206 bones of the body along with the cartilages |
axial skeleton | the part of the skeleton that includes the skull, spinal column, sternum, and ribs |
appendicular skeleton | the upper and lower extremities (arms and legs), the shoulder girdle, and the pelvic girdle |
shoulder girdle | the bony arch formed by the collarbones (clavicles) and shoulder blades (scapulae) |
pelvic girdle | |
cranium | the portion of the skull that encloses the brain |
spine (vertebral column) | the 32-33 vertebrae that enclose the spinal cord and provide rigidity to the body |
skull | the body skeleton of the head that protects the brain from injury and gives the head its shape |
cervical spine | the seven cervical vertebrae of the neck |
chest (thorax) | the body cavity located below the neck and above the diaphragm. It contains the heart, major blood vessels, and lungs. |
true ribs | rib pairs 1-7. These ribs are attached anteriorly to the sternum by cartilage. |
false ribs | |
floating ribs | |
sternum (breastbone) | bone in the middle of the thorax and consisting of three sections: manubrium, body, and xiphoid process |
manubrium | |
xiphoid process | |
humerus | the upper arm bone |
upper extremities | |
radius | |
ulna | |
olecranon | the elbow |
carpals | wrist bones |
metacarpals | |
phalanges | |
lower extremities | |
pelvis | |
acetabulum | a socket of the hip bone |
femur | |
greater trochanter | |
patella | |
tibia | the shinbone; the larger of the two bones of the lower leg |
fibula | |
tarsals | the bones of the heel and back part of the foot |
metatarsal | |
tendons | cords of connective tissue that firmly attach the end of a muscle to a bone |
ligaments | |
muscle tone | |
smooth muscle | an involuntary muscle found in many internal organs (except the heart) |
cardiac muscle | involuntary muscle found only in the heart |
skeletal muscles | voluntary muscles. Most skeletal muscles are attached to bones |
pharynx | |
larynx | |
trachea | the windpipe; the tube through which air passes to and from the lungs. It extends down the front of the neck from the larynx and divides in two to form the primary bronchi |
external nares | |
hard palate | |
soft palate | the fleshy portion of the nasal cavity that extends behind the hard palate. It marks the boundary between the nasopharynx and the rest of the pharynx |
sinuses | spaces or cavities inside some cranial bones |
turbinates | several shelf like projections that protrude into the nasal cavity that help protect structures of the lower airway from foreign body contamination |
nasopharynx | |
oropharynx | the middle portion of the throat that opens into the mouth and serves as a passageway for both food and air |
uvula | |
laryngopharynx | |
thyroid cartilage | |
epiglottis | |
cricoid cartilage | the most inferior of the cartilages of the larynx |
glottis | |
esophagus | |
bronchus | large passageway for air to and from the alveoli |
bronchioles | small, thin-walled branches of a bronchus |
alveoli | grapelike sacs at the end of bronchioles where oxygen and carbon dioxide are exchanged between the air and blood |
surfactant | a thin substance that coats each alveolus and prevents the alveoli from collapsing |
lungs | |
mediastinum | |
pleurae | |
parietal pleura | |
visceral pleura | the inner pleural layer that covers the surface of the lungs |
pleural space | |
inspiration | |
expiration | |
intercostal muscles | |
diaphragm | |
respiration | |
erythrocytes | |
hemoglobin | an iron-containing protein that chemically binds with oxygen |
circulatory system | cardiovascular and lymphatic systems |
cardiovascular system | the heart, blood vessels, and blood |
lymphatic system | |
heart | the primary organ of the cardiovascular system. It lies in the thoracic cavity (mediastinum) behind the sternum and between the lungs |
great vessels | |
atria | the two upper chambers of the heart, which receive blood from the body and lungs |
ventricles | the two lower chambers of the heart; the right ventricle pumps blood to the lungs and the left ventricle pumps blood to the body |
plasma | |
leukocytes | |
platelets (thrombocytes) | |
arteries | blood vessels that carry blood away from the heart to the rest of the body |
arterioles | the smallest branches of arteries leading to the capillaries |
capillaries | the very thin blood vessels that connect arteries and veins |
venules | the smallest branches of veins leading to the capillaries |
veins | blood vessels that return blood to the heart |
aorta | one of the two major blood vessels of the abdomen; the largest artery in the body |
pulse | |
blood pressure | the pressure exerted by the blood on the walls of the arteries |
systolic blood pressure | the pressure in the arteries when the heart is pumping blood |
diastolic blood pressure | |
perfusion | |
shock | the inadequate flow of blood through an organ or a part of the body; also called hypoferfusion |
nervous system | |
neurons | |
foramen magnum | |
meninges | |
cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) | a clear liquid that acts as a shock absorber for the brain and spinal cord and provides a mean for the exchange of nutrients and wastes among the blood, brain, and spinal cord |
cerebrum | the largest part of the brain, made up of two hemispheres |
corpus callosum | a collection of nerve fibers in the brain that connect the left and right cerebral hemispheres |
cerebellum | the second largest part of the human brain. It is responsible for the precise control of the muscle movements and the maintenance of posture and equilibrium |
diencephalon | |
thalamus | an area of the brain that functions as a relay station for impulses going to and from the cerebrum |
hypothalamus | a part of the brain that plays an important role in the control of thirst, hunger, and body temperature; also serves as a link between the nervous and endocrine systems |
brainstem | the portion of the brain that consists of the midbrain, pons, and medulla oblongata |
peripheral nervous system (PNS) | |
cranial nerves | twelve pairs of nerves that connect the brain with the neck and structures in the chest and abdomen |
spinal nerves | any of 31 pairs of nerves that branch from the spinal cord |
somatic division | the voluntary division of the peripheral nervous system that has receptors and nerves concerned with the external environment |
autonomic division | the division of the peripheral nervous system that has receptors and nerves concerned with the internal environment. It controls the involuntary system of glands and smooth muscle and functions to maintain a steady state in the body. |
sympathetic division | the division of the autonomic nervous system that mobilizes energy, particularly in stressful situations; the fight-or-fight response |
parasympathetic division | |
integumentary system | |
epidermis | |
dermis | |
subcutaneous layer | the thick skin layer that lies below the dermis and is loosely attached to the muscles and bones of the musculoskeletal system |
accessory organs of digestion | the teeth and tongue, salivary glands, liver, gallbladder, and pancreas. |
peristalsis | |
chyme | |
small intestine | the portion of the digestive system between the stomach and beginning of the large intestine that consists of three parts: the duodenum, the jejunum, and the ileum. It receives food from the stomach |
duodenum | |
jejunum | |
ileum | |
large intestine (colon) | |
cecum | a blind pouch or cul-de-sac that forms the first part of the large intestine |
ascending colon | the part of the large intestine that passes upward from the cecum to the lower edge of the liver where it turns to become the transverse colon |
transverse colon | the portion of the large intestine that extends across the abdomen |
descending colon | |
sigmoid colon | the lower part of the descending colon between the iliac crest and the rectum, shaped like the letter S |
rectum | |
anal canal | the end of the large intestine, 1 to 2 inches long. that remains closed except during defecation |
liver | |
gallbladder | |
pancreas | |
endocrine system | |
thyroid gland | the endocrine gland that lies in the neck, just below the larynx. It regulates the metabolic rate |
parathyroid glands | |
adrenal glands | endocrine glands located on top of each kidney that release epinephrine in response to stress |
pituitary gland | |
pineal gland | |
melatonin | |
islets of Langerhans | |
insulin | |
thymus gland | a ductless organ that produces lymphocytes, which play a role in the body's immune system |
ovaries | paired, almond-shaped organs in a woman's body that produce eggs; located on either side of the uterus in the pelvic cavity |
testis | one of two male reproductive glands located in the scrotum that produce reproductive cells and secrete testosterone. |
reproductive system | |
seminal vesicles | |
prostate gland | |
penis | |
scrotum | a loose sac of skin that houses the male testes |
fallopian tubes (oviducts) | |
uterus | |
vagina | in the female, a muscular tube that serces as a passageway between the uterus and the outside. It receives the penis during intercourse and serves as a passageway for menstrual flow and the delivery of an infant |
mammary glands | |
perineum | |
kidneys | |
ureters | |
urinary bladder | |
urethra | |