Skip to main content
Back

Anatomy & Physiology: Cells, Tissues, and Skin Overview

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/29

Terms in this set (29)

  • What is a cell in anatomy and physiology?
    A cell is the smallest structural and functional unit of a living organism.
  • Describe the plasma membrane structure.
    The plasma membrane is a phospholipid bilayer with water-attracting heads facing outward and water-repelling tails facing inward.
  • What does selectively permeable mean in cell membranes?
    It means some materials can cross the membrane more easily than others.
  • Difference between passive and active transport.
    Passive transport requires no ATP and follows gradients; active transport requires energy to move substances.
  • What is diffusion?
    Diffusion is the movement of particles down their concentration gradient without energy use.
  • Define osmosis.
    Osmosis is the movement of water across a membrane toward higher solute concentration.
  • Effect of hypertonic, hypotonic, and isotonic solutions on cells.
    Hypertonic causes cells to lose water and shrink; hypotonic causes cells to gain water and swell; isotonic causes no net volume change.
  • How does the sodium-potassium pump work?
    It uses ATP to move 3 Na⁺ ions out of the cell and 2 K⁺ ions into the cell.
  • Function of the nucleus and nucleolus.
    The nucleus stores DNA/instructions; the nucleolus produces ribosome subunits.
  • Role of ribosomes in the cell.
    Ribosomes synthesize proteins.
  • Difference between rough and smooth endoplasmic reticulum (ER).
    Rough ER has ribosomes and makes proteins for secretion/membranes; smooth ER makes lipids, detoxifies, and stores calcium.
  • Function of the Golgi apparatus.
    The Golgi modifies, sorts, and ships proteins and lipids.
  • Purpose of lysosomes and peroxisomes.
    Lysosomes digest and recycle cellular waste; peroxisomes perform oxidative detoxification.
  • What is the cytoskeleton?
    The cytoskeleton provides structural support and enables cell movement.
  • Define tissue in anatomy.
    A tissue is a group of cells working together for a common function.
  • Name the four foundational tissue types.
    Epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous tissues.
  • How is epithelial tissue named?
    By number of layers (simple, stratified, pseudostratified) and apical cell shape (squamous, cuboidal, columnar).
  • What is extracellular matrix (ECM) in connective tissue?
    ECM is material outside cells, consisting of ground substance and fibers like collagen, elastic, and reticular.
  • Types of connective tissue proper.
    Loose (areolar, adipose, reticular) and dense (regular, irregular, elastic).
  • Three types of muscle tissue and their characteristics.
    Skeletal (striated, voluntary), cardiac (striated, involuntary, intercalated discs), smooth (nonstriated, involuntary).
  • Difference between neurons and neuroglia.
    Neurons transmit signals; neuroglia support neurons.
  • Layers of the epidermis from deep to superficial.
    Basale, spinosum, granulosum, lucidum (thick skin only), corneum.
  • What type of epithelium is the epidermis?
    Keratinized stratified squamous epithelium.
  • Difference between epidermis and dermis.
    Epidermis is avascular keratinized epithelium; dermis is vascular connective tissue.
  • What is the hypodermis?
    A layer beneath skin made of areolar and adipose connective tissue for attachment, padding, and energy storage.
  • Functions of skin.
    Protection, temperature regulation, sensation, waste excretion, and vitamin D production.
  • Difference between eccrine and apocrine sweat glands.
    Eccrine glands produce watery sweat for cooling; apocrine glands are concentrated in specific regions and produce thicker sweat.
  • What do sebaceous glands produce?
    Oily sebum for lubrication.
  • Types of skin cancer mentioned.
    Basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma.