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Anatomy & Physiology: Chapters 1 & 2 Key Concepts

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  • What is anatomy?

    Anatomy is the study of the structure of the human body.

  • What is physiology?

    Physiology is the study of the function of the human body.

  • Name the main branches of anatomy.

    Gross anatomy, microscopic anatomy (histology), surface anatomy, developmental anatomy, embryology, pathological anatomy, radiographic anatomy, and functional morphology.

  • What is the hierarchy of structural organization in the human body?

    Chemical level, cellular level, tissue level, organ level, organ system level, and organism level.

  • Difference between systemic and regional anatomy?

    Systemic anatomy studies the body by systems; regional anatomy studies the body by specific regions.

  • Functions of the integumentary system?

    Forms external body covering, protects deeper tissues, synthesizes vitamin D, and houses cutaneous receptors and glands.

  • Primary functions of the skeletal system?

    Protects and supports organs, provides muscle framework, forms blood cells, and stores minerals.

  • Key roles of the muscular system?

    Allows manipulation of environment, locomotion, facial expression, maintains posture, and produces heat.

  • What is the main function of the nervous system?

    Acts as a fast-acting control system responding to internal and external changes.

  • Role of the endocrine system?

    Secretes hormones that regulate growth, reproduction, and nutrient use.

  • Functions of the cardiovascular system?

    Transports blood, carries oxygen, carbon dioxide, nutrients, and wastes; heart pumps blood through vessels.

  • What does the lymphatic system do?

    Collects fluid leaked from blood vessels, disposes debris, houses lymphocytes, and mounts immune attacks.

  • Primary functions of the respiratory system?

    Supplies blood with oxygen, removes carbon dioxide, and facilitates gas exchange in lung air sacs.

  • Main functions of the digestive system?

    Breaks down food into absorbable units and eliminates indigestible food as feces.

  • Functions of the urinary system?

    Eliminates nitrogenous wastes and regulates water, electrolyte, and acid-base balance.

  • What is the overall function of the reproductive systems?

    To produce offspring; testes produce sperm and male hormones; ovaries produce eggs and female hormones; mammary glands produce milk.

  • Describe the anatomical position.

    Person stands erect, feet together, eyes forward, palms facing anteriorly with thumbs pointed away from the body.

  • Name the three main body planes.

    Coronal (frontal) plane divides anterior/posterior, median (midsagittal) plane divides left/right, transverse plane divides superior/inferior.

  • What are the dorsal and ventral body cavities?

    Dorsal cavity includes cranial and vertebral cavities; ventral cavity includes thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.

  • What is the function of serous membranes?

    Line body cavities and cover organs, reducing friction via serous fluid; includes pleura, pericardium, and peritoneum.

  • What is the plasma membrane and its main function?

    The plasma membrane is the cell's outer boundary, selectively permeable, controlling substance entry and exit.

  • Describe the fluid mosaic model of the plasma membrane.

    A lipid bilayer with embedded integral and peripheral proteins, allowing fluidity and selective transport.

  • What is facilitated diffusion?

    Movement of molecules down their concentration gradient through integral membrane proteins without energy use.

  • Define active transport.

    Movement of molecules against their concentration gradient using energy and integral proteins.

  • What are the three types of endocytosis?

    Phagocytosis (cell eating), pinocytosis (cell drinking), and receptor-mediated endocytosis (selective uptake).

  • What is exocytosis?

    Process where vesicles fuse with the plasma membrane to release substances outside the cell.

  • Name the main cytoplasmic organelles and their functions.

    Ribosomes (protein synthesis), rough ER (protein production), smooth ER (lipid synthesis), Golgi apparatus (sorting/packaging), lysosomes (digestion), mitochondria (energy production), peroxisomes (detoxification).

  • What is the function of the nucleus?

    Control center of the cell containing DNA, directing cellular activities and ribosome assembly.

  • What happens during the S phase of the cell cycle?

    DNA replicates to ensure daughter cells receive identical genetic material.

  • List the stages of mitosis in order.

    Prophase, metaphase, anaphase, telophase, followed by cytokinesis.