Anatomy and Physiology Terms

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Anatomy and Physiology Terms
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Intro. to Anatomy and Physiology
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Anatomy

• Branch of science dealing with the form and
  structure of body parts.

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Physiology

• Branch of science that studies body functions.

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Appendicular

• Upper and lower limbs

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Axial

• Head, neck, and trunk

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Homeostasis

• State of equilibrium in which the internal
  environment of the body remains at a normal
  range.

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Cellular Metabolism
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Anabolism

• Synthesis of larger molecules from smaller
  molecules.

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Synthesis

• Building large molecules from smaller ones.

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Catabolism

• Breakdown of larger molecules into smaller ones.

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Decomposition

• The breakdown of molecules into simpler
  compounds.

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Oxidation

• Process by which oxygen is combined with another
  chemical.

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Enzyme

• Protein that catalyzes a specific biochemical
  reaction.

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Substrate

• Target of enzyme action.

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Organic

• Carbon-containing molecules.

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Inorganic

• Chemical substances that lack carbon and
  hydrogen.

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Ion

• Atom or molecule with an electric charge.

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Lipid

• Fat, oil, or fatlike compound that usually has
  fatty acids in its molecular structure.

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Nucleic Acid

• Substance composed of boded nucleotides RNA or
  DNA.

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Cells
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Cytoplasm

• The contents of a cell excluding the nucleus and
  cell membrane.

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Organelle

• Part of a cell that performs a specialized
  function.

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Nucleus

• Cellular organelle enclosed by a double-layer,
  porous membrane and containing DNA.

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Differentiation

• Cell specialization

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Diffusion

• Random movement of molecules from a region of
  higher concentration toward one of lower
  concentration.

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Facilitated Diffusion

• Diffusion in which a carrier molecule transports
  a substance across a cell membrane from a region
  of higher concentration to a region of lower
  concentration.

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Active Transport

• Process that requires energy to move a substance
  across a cell membrane, usually against the
  concentration gradient.

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Osmosis

• Diffusion of water through a selectively
  permeable membrane in response to a concentration
  gradient.

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Equilibrium

• State of balance between two opposing forces.

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Endocytosis

• Physiological process by which a cell membrane
  envelopes a substance and draws it into the cell
  in a vesicle.

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Exocytosis

• Transport of a substance out of a cell in a
  membrane-bound vesicle.

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Phagocytosis

• Process by which a cell engulfs and digests
  solids.

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Pinocytosis

• Process by which a cell engulfs droplets of fluid
  from its surroundings.

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Mitosis

• Division of a somatic cell (body cell) to form
  two genetically identical cells.

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Meiosis

• Cell division that halves the genetic material,
  resulting in egg and sperm cells (gametes).

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Tissues
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Epithelial Tissue

• One of the basic types of tissue that covers all
  free body surfaces.

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Connective Tissue

• Basic type of tissue that consists of cells
  within an extracellular matrix, including bone,
  cartilage, blood, loose and fibrous connective
  tissue.

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Adipose Tissue

• Fat storing tissue.

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Cartilage

• Type of connective tissue in which cells are
  located in the lacunae and are separated by a
  semisolid extracellular matrix.

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Nervous Tissue

• Neurons and neuroglial cells composing the brain,
  spinal cord, and nerves.

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Integumentary
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Integumentary

• Pertaining to the skin and its accessory organs.

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Epidermis

• Outer epithelial layer of skin.

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Dermis

• The thick layer of skin beneath the epidermis.

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Subcutaneous Layer

• Layer of tissue that is mostly fat and beneath
  the skin hypodermis.

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Sebaceous Gland

• Skin gland that secretes sebum (oil).

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Sweat Gland

• Exocrine gland in skin that secretes a mixture of
  water, salt, urea, and other bodily fluids.

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Melanin

• Dark pigment found in the skin and hair.

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Keratinization

• Process by which cells form fibrils of keratin
  and harden.

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Arrector Pili Muscle

• Smooth muscle in the skin associated with a hair
  follicle (goose bumps).

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Skeletal System
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Spongy Bone

• Bone that consists of bars and plates separated
  by irregular spaces cancellous bone.

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Compact Bone

• Dense tissue in which cells are arranged in
  osteons with no apparent spaces.

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Diaphysis

• Shaft of the long bone.

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Epiphysis

• End of a long bone.

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Periosteum

• Fibrous connective tissue covering the surface of
  the bone.

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Medullary Cavity

• Cavity containing marrow within the diaphysis of
  a long bone.

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Marrow

• Connective tissue that occupies space within
  bones that includes stem cells.

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Articular Cartilage

• Hyaline cartilage that covers the ends of bones
  in synovial joints.

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Intramembraneous Bone

• Bone that forms from membrane-like layers of
  primitive connective tissue.

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Endochondral Bone

• Bone that begins as hyaline cartilage that is
  subsequently replaced by bone tissue.

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Osteocyte

• Mature bone cell.

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Synovial Joint

• Feely movable joint.

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Synovial Fluid

• Fluid that they synovial membrane secretes.

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Synovial Membrane

• Membrane that forms the inner lining of a freely
  moveable joint.

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Muscular System
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Actin

• A protein in a muscle fiber that forms filaments
  that slide between filaments of the protein
  myosin, contracting muscle fibers.

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Myosin

• A protein that, with actin, contracts and relaxes
  muscle fibers.

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Sarcomere

• Structural and functional unit of a myofibril.

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Neurotransmitter

• Chemical that an axon end secretes to stimulate a
  muscle fiber to contract or a neuron to fire an
  impluse.

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Nervous System
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Neuron

• Nerve cell

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Neuroglial Cell

• Specialized cell of the nervous system that
  produces myelin, communicates between cells, and
  maintains the ionic environment, as well as
  provides other functions.

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Soma

• Body of the neuron that contains the nucleus.

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Axon

• A nerve fiber conducts a nerve impulse away from
  a neuron.

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Dendrite

• Process of a neuron that receives input from
  other neurons.

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Meninges

• Membrane that covers the brain and spinal cord.

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Synapse

• Functional connection between the axon of one
  neuron and the dendrite or cell body of another
  neuron or the membrane of another cell type.

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Reflex

• Rapid, automatic response to a stimulus.

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Action Potential

• Sequence of electrical changes that occurs in a
  portion of a nerve cell membrane that is exposed
  to a stimulus that exceeds the membranes
  threshold.

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Sclera

• White fibrous outer layer of the eyeball.

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Cornea

• Transparent anterior portion of the outer layer
  of the eye wall.

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Retina

• Inner layer of the eye wall that contains the
  visual receptors.

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Rods

• Type of light receptor that provides colorless
  vision.

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Cones

• Color receptor in the retina of the eye.

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Cochlea

• Portion of the inner ear that has hearing
  receptors.

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Endocrine System
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Hormone

• Substance secreted by an endocrine gland and
  transported in the blood.

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Target Cell

• Cell with specific receptors on which a hormone
  exerts its effect.

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Cardiovascular System and Blood
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Atrium

• Chamber of the heart that receives blood from
  veins.

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Ventricle

• Cavity, such as brain ventricles filled with
  cerebrospinal fluid, or heart ventricles that
  contain blood.

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Arteriole

• Small branch of an artery that communicates with
  a capillary network.

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Capillary

• A small blood vessel that connects an arteriole
  and a venule.

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Venule

• Vessel that carries blood from capillaries to a
  vein.

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Plasma

• Fluid portion of circulating blood.

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Erythrocyte

• Red blood cell

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Leukocyte

• White blood cell

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Platelet

• Cytoplasmic fragment formed in the bone marrow
  that helps blood clot.

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Antigen

• Chemical that stimulates B lymphocytes to produce
  antibodies.

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Antibody

• Protein that B cells of the immune system produce
  in response to the presence of a nonself antigen
  it reacts with the antigen.

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Respiratory System
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Inspiration

• Breathing in.

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Expiration

• Expulsion of air from the lungs.

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Bronchi

• Branches of the trachea that lead to the lungs.
  

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Alveoli

• Air sac of a lung.

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Digestive System
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Alimentary Canal

• Tubular portion of the digestive tract that leads
  from the mouth to the anus.

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Peristalisis

• Rhythmic waves of muscular contraction in the
  walls of certain tubular organs (digestion).

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Bile

• Fluid secreted by the liver and stored in the
  gallbladder (emulsifies fats).

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Villi

• Tiny, finger-like projection that extends outward
  from the inner lining of the small intestines.

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Urinary System
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Nephron

• Functional unit of the kidney.

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Reproductive System
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Puberty

• Stage of development in which the reproductive
  organs become functional.

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Ovulation

• Release of an egg cell from a mature ovarian
  follicle.

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Progesterone

• Female hormone secreted by the corpus luteum of
  the ovary and the placenta.

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Estrogen

• Hormones that stimulate the development of female
  secondary sex characteristics and produces an
  environment suitable for fertilization,
  implantation, and growth of an embryo.

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Testosterone

• Male sex hormone secreted by the interstitial
  cells of the testes.

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Zygote

• Cell produced by the fusion of an egg and sperm
  a fertilized egg.

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Placenta

• Structure that attaches the fetus to the uterine
  wall, providing for delivery of nutrients to and
  removal of wastes from the fetus.

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Amniotic Fluid

• Fluid within the amniotic cavity that surrounds
  the developing fetus.

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Diseases to Know
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Jaundice

• A yellowish skin tone, which can indicate liver
  malfunction.

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Diabetes

• High blood glucose level and glucose in the urine
  due to a deficiency of insulin.

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Goiter

• Enlarged thyroid gland due to an iodine
  deficiency.

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Fetal Alcohol Syndrome

• A group of conditions that can occur in a person
  whose mother drank alcohol during pregnancy.