Anatomy & Physiology: Chapter 1 Key Concepts

Sum of all chemical reactions in the body, including catabolism (breaking down substances) and anabolism (building substances), regulated by the endocrine system.

Anatomy studies body structure and relationships; Physiology studies body function. Structure determines function.

From smallest to largest: atoms, molecules, organelles, cells, tissues, organs, organ systems, organism.

Protects body, regulates temperature, and provides sensory information; includes skin, hair, nails, and glands.

Provides support and protection, stores minerals and triglycerides, and forms blood cells; includes bones, cartilage, and ligaments.

Enables movement, maintains posture, and generates heat; includes skeletal muscles and tendons.

Interprets sensory information, directs immediate responses, and controls other organ systems; includes brain, spinal cord, nerves, and sense organs.

Adjusts metabolism and controls activities of other organ systems through hormone secretion; includes glands like thyroid, pancreas, and adrenal.

Transports gases, nutrients, wastes, and hormones; distributes heat; includes heart, blood, and vessels.

Provides immunity and returns tissue fluids to the bloodstream; includes spleen, thymus, lymph nodes, and vessels.

Site of gas exchange; includes lungs, trachea, bronchi, and alveoli.

Breaks down food molecules and absorbs nutrients and water; includes stomach, intestines, esophagus, and teeth.

Excretes wastes, controls water balance, and regulates blood pH and electrolytes; includes kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.

Produces sperm, seminal fluid, and male sex hormones; enables sexual reproduction; includes penis, testes, prostate, and vas deferens.

Produces eggs and female sex hormones, supports embryo development, and enables sexual intercourse; includes ovaries, uterus, vagina, and uterine tubes.

Body standing upright, head facing forward, feet shoulder-width apart, arms at sides with palms facing forward and thumbs pointing away.

Superior means above or toward the head; Inferior means below or away from the head.

Anterior is the front surface; Posterior is the back surface of the body.

Medial means nearer to the midline; Lateral means farther from the midline.

Proximal is nearer to the limb's attachment to the trunk; Distal is farther from the attachment.

Superficial means toward or on the body surface; Deep means away from the surface.

Sagittal divides body into left and right; Frontal divides into front and back; Transverse divides into upper and lower parts.

Axial includes head, neck, and trunk; Appendicular includes upper and lower limbs.

Includes cranial cavity (brain) and vertebral cavity (spinal cord), protecting the nervous system.

Includes thoracic cavity (heart, lungs) and abdominopelvic cavity (abdominal and pelvic organs), separated by the diaphragm.

Line thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities and organs; include pleura (lungs), pericardium (heart), and peritoneum (abdominopelvic organs).

Maintenance of a stable internal environment, regulated by nervous and endocrine systems; failure leads to disease or death.

Includes receptor (detects stimulus), control center (processes info), and effector (produces response).

Response reduces or shuts off original stimulus, maintaining balance; e.g., body temperature regulation.

Response enhances or exaggerates original stimulus; e.g., blood clotting.