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Anatomy & Physiology Overview Flashcards

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Terms in this set (21)

  • What is Anatomy?

    Anatomy is the study of body structures such as muscles, bones, and organs and their relationships. It includes gross/macroscopic, microscopic, and developmental subdivisions.

  • What is Physiology?

    Physiology is the science of how body parts function individually and together.

  • What does the complementarity of structure and function mean?

    Structure always determines function, and function always reflects structure. For example, bones protect and support due to mineral deposits, and blood flows one direction due to valves.

  • What are the six levels of structural organization in the body?

    Chemical, Cellular, Tissue, Organ, Organ System, and Organismal levels.

  • What occurs at the chemical level of structural organization?

    Atoms combine to form molecules like H2O, sugar, and proteins, which are the building blocks of matter.

  • What defines the cellular level?

    Molecules form organelles, which then form cells. Cells vary in size and shape depending on their function.

  • What are the four basic tissue types?

    Connective tissue (supports/protects), muscle (movement), epithelium (covers surfaces/lines cavities), and nervous tissue (transmits electrical impulses).

  • What characterizes the organ level?

    Organs are discrete structures formed by two or more tissue types working together, e.g., the stomach has epithelium, connective tissue, muscle layers, and nervous tissue.

  • What is the organ system level?

    Organs cooperate to achieve a common goal, such as the urinary system consisting of kidneys, ureters, bladder, and urethra.

  • What is the organismal level?

    The sum total of all structural levels working together to form a living human being.

  • Name the 12 major body organ systems.

    Integumentary, skeletal, muscular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular, lymphatic, immune, respiratory, digestive, urinary, and reproductive systems.

  • What are the eight functional characteristics necessary for life?

    Maintenance boundaries, movement, responsiveness, digestion, metabolism, excretion, reproduction, and growth.

  • What is homeostasis?

    A dynamic state of equilibrium where the body maintains a relatively stable internal environment despite external or internal changes.

  • What are the three components of homeostatic control mechanisms?

    Receptor (monitors environment), control center (determines set point and response), and effector (carries out response).

  • How does negative feedback maintain homeostasis?

    It responds opposite to the original stimulus to reduce or stop it, e.g., insulin release lowers blood glucose after a meal.

  • How does positive feedback differ from negative feedback?

    Positive feedback enhances or exaggerates the original stimulus, often self-perpetuating, such as oxytocin increasing labor contractions.

  • What is the anatomical position?

    Body erect, arms at sides, palms forward, feet together, head and toes pointing forward; used as a universal reference.

  • Name three directional terms used in anatomy.

    Superior (above), inferior (below), anterior (front), posterior (back), medial (toward midline), lateral (away from midline), proximal (near origin), distal (far from origin), superficial (near surface), deep (away from surface).

  • What are the main body planes?

    Sagittal (left/right), frontal/coronal (front/back), transverse/horizontal (top/bottom), and oblique (diagonal).

  • What are the major body cavities and their contents?

    Dorsal cavity: cranial (brain) and spinal (spinal cord). Ventral cavity: thoracic (lungs, heart), abdominopelvic (stomach, intestines, reproductive organs, bladder).

  • What are serous membranes?

    Thin double-layer membranes lining ventral body cavity walls and covering organs, with parietal layer lining cavity walls and visceral layer covering organs, separated by serous fluid.