Skip to main content
Back

Anatomy & Physiology: Introduction and Basic Concepts

Control buttons has been changed to "navigation" mode.
1/26

Terms in this set (26)

  • What is the difference between anatomy and physiology?
    Anatomy is the study of the structure of body parts, while physiology is the study of their function.
  • What is the principle of complementarity of structure and function?
    Structure exists to perform a function; to understand function, you must understand structure, and vice versa.
  • Name the levels of organization in the human body from smallest to largest.
    Atomic/molecular, macromolecule, organelle, cellular, tissue, organ, organ system, organism.
  • What is the anatomical position?
    Body upright, face forward, feet shoulder-width apart, toes forward, arms at sides with palms facing forward; left and right refer to the body's left and right.
  • What are the two main portions of the human body?
    Axial portion (head, neck, trunk) and appendicular portion (limbs).
  • Define the directional terms: superior and inferior.
    Superior means toward the head; inferior means away from the head or toward the feet.
  • Define the directional terms: anterior and posterior.
    Anterior means toward the front of the body; posterior means toward the back.
  • What do the terms medial and lateral mean?
    Medial means toward the midline of the body; lateral means away from the midline.
  • What is the difference between proximal and distal when referring to limbs?
    Proximal means closer to the point of attachment; distal means farther from the point of attachment.
  • What do the terms superficial and deep describe?
    Superficial means closer to the body surface; deep means farther from the surface.
  • Name the major organ systems involved in protection, support, and movement.
    Integumentary, skeletal, and muscular systems.
  • Which organ systems are responsible for communication and integration?
    Nervous system (electrical signals) and endocrine system (chemical messengers).
  • Which organ systems are involved in transport and immunity?
    Circulatory (cardiovascular) system and lymphatic system.
  • What are the main functions of the respiratory, digestive, and urinary systems?
    Respiratory exchanges gases; digestive obtains nutrients; urinary removes waste and excess water.
  • What is homeostasis?
    Maintenance of a stable internal environment within narrow limits despite external changes.
  • What is a negative feedback loop?
    A control mechanism that opposes a change, returning the system to its set point to maintain homeostasis.
  • What is a positive feedback loop?
    A control mechanism that amplifies a change, moving the system further from its set point, often for a specific purpose.
  • Give an example of a negative feedback loop in the human body.
    Body temperature regulation: sweating cools the body when hot; shivering warms the body when cold.
  • Give an example of a positive feedback loop in the human body.
    Labor contractions: oxytocin release increases contractions, which increases oxytocin release until delivery.
  • Why is anatomical position important?
    Provides a standard reference for describing body parts and positions to avoid confusion.
  • What are the abdominopelvic quadrants?
    Four regions: right upper, left upper, right lower, left lower; used to describe locations of organs and pain.
  • What are the three major body planes?
    Frontal (divides front and back), sagittal (divides left and right), transverse (divides top and bottom).
  • What is the difference between a midsagittal and parasagittal plane?
    Midsagittal divides the body exactly in the midline; parasagittal divides off-center.
  • What are body cavities and why are they important?
    Spaces within the body that house organs and protect them; include dorsal (cranial, vertebral) and ventral (thoracic, abdominopelvic) cavities.
  • Name the subdivisions of the thoracic cavity.
    Pleural cavities (lungs), pericardial cavity (heart), and mediastinum (space between lungs).
  • What is the peritoneal cavity?
    A serous membrane-lined space surrounding most abdominal organs.