Anatomy & Physiology Vocabulary

Front 1

Cell

Back 1

The smallest unit of life that is classified as a living thing,

Front 2

Tissue

Back 2

A collection of like cells

Front 3

Organ

Back 3

Two or more tissue types joined in structural unit to serve a common function.

Front 4

Integumentary System

Back 4

Forms the external body covering; protects the deeper tissues from injury; synthesizes vitamin D

Front 5

Skeletal System

Back 5

Protects & supports body organs; provides a framework the muscles use to cause movement; bloodcells are formed within bones; stores minerals.

Front 6

Muscular System

Back 6

Allows manipulation of the enviromentmovement & facial expressions. Maintains posture; produces heat

Front 7

Nervous System

Back 7

Fast-acting control system of the body; responds to internal & external changes by activating appropriate muscles & glands.

Front 8

Endorcine System

Back 8

Glands secrete hormones that regulate processes like growth, reproduction and nutrient use (metabolism).

Front 9

Cardiovascular System

Back 9

Blood vessels transport blood, which carries O2, CO2, nutrients, wastes etc; the heart pumps blood.

Front 10

Lymphatic / Immune System

Back 10

Picks up fluid leaked from blood vessels & returns it to the blood; disposes of debris in the lymphatic stream; houses white blood cells; mounts attacks against foreign substances within the body.

Front 11

Respiratory System

Back 11

Keeps the blood constantly supplied with O2 & removes CO2.

Front 12

Digestive System

Back 12

Breaks food into absorbable units that enter the blood for distribution to body cells; indigestable foodstuffs are elimated as feces.

Front 13

Urinary System

Back 13

Eliminates nitrogenous waste from the body; regulates water, electrolyte and acid-base blance of the blood.

Front 14

Reproductive System

Back 14

Overall function is production offspring. Mammary glands in female breasts produce milk to nourish the newborn.

Front 15

Oral

Back 15

Mouth

Front 16

Orbital

Back 16

Eye socket

Front 17

Cervical

Back 17

Neck

Front 18

Thoracic

Back 18

Chest

Front 19

Axillary

Back 19

Armpit

Front 20

Brachial

Back 20

Arm

Front 21

Antecubital

Back 21

Front of the elbow

Front 22

Carpal

Back 22

Wrist

Front 23

Abdominal

Back 23

Abdomin

Front 24

Inguinal

Back 24

Groin

Front 25

Pubic

Back 25

Genital area

Front 26

Femoral

Back 26

Thigh

Front 27

Tarsal

Back 27

Ankle

Front 28

Lumbar

Back 28

Lower Back

Front 29

Gluteal

Back 29

Buttocks

Front 30

Popliteal

Back 30

Back of the knee

Front 31

Superior / Inferior

Back 31

Above / Below

Front 32

Anterior / Posterior

Back 32

Front / Back

Front 33

Medial / Lateral

Back 33

Toward the midline / Away from the midline

Front 34

Cephalad / Cuadal

Back 34

Toward the head / Toward the tail

Front 35

Dorsal / Ventral

Back 35

Backside / Bellyside

Front 36

Proximal / Distal

Back 36

Nearer the trunk or attached end / Farther from the trunk or point of attachment

Front 37

Superficial / Deep

Back 37

Toward or at the body surface / Away from the body surface.

Front 38

Sagittal Plane

Back 38

A plane that runs longitudinally
and divides the body into left and right parts

Front 39

Median or Midsagittal Plane

Back 39

When the body is divided into equal parts, right down the median or midsagittal plane.

Front 40

Parasagittal Plane

Back 40

When the body is divided unevenly along the sagittal plane.

Front 41

Frontal Plane
(Coronal Plane)

Back 41

Divides the body longwise into anterior and posterior regions

Front 42

Transverse Plane
(Cross Section)

Back 42

Divides the body horizontally into superior and inferior sections

Front 43

Dorsal Cavity

Back 43

Contains the cranial and vertebral (spinal) cavities. These cavities are continous with each other.

Front 44

Cranial Cavity

Back 44

Contains the brain

Front 45

Vertebral Cavity
(Spinal Cavity)

Back 45

Contains the spinal cord.

Front 46

Ventral Cavity

Back 46

Contains the thoracic, abdominal & pelvic cavities.

Front 47

Thoracic Cavity

Back 47

Contains the heart, lungs & diaphragm

Front 48

Abdominal Cavity

Back 48

Contains the stomache, intestines, liver & spleen

Front 49

Pelvic Cavity

Back 49

Contains the reproductive organs, urinary bladder & rectum

Front 50

RUQ

Back 50

Right upper quadrant

Front 51

RLQ

Back 51

Right lower quadrant

Front 52

LUQ

Back 52

Left upper quadrant

Front 53

LLQ

Back 53

Left lower quadrant

Front 54

Umbilical Region

Back 54

The centermost region contains the umbilicus

Front 55

Epigastric Region

Back 55

Immeadiatly superior to the umbilical region. Covers most of the stomache

Front 56

Hypogastric Region
(Pubic Region)

Back 56

Immeadiatly inferior to the umbilical region. Covers the pubic region.

Front 57

Right & Left Iliac Region
(Inguinal Region)

Back 57

Lateral to the hypogastric region. Covers the superior parts of the hip bones.

Front 58

Right & Left Lumbar Regions

Back 58

Between the ribs and the flaring parts of the hip bones. Lateral to the umbilical region.

Front 59

Right & Left Hypochondriac Regions

Back 59

Lateral to the epigastric region. Covers the ribs.

Front 60

Serous Membranes

Back 60

A smooth membrane consisting of a thin layer of cells which secrete serous fluid, line and enclose several body cavities

Front 61

Serous Fluid

Back 61

Various bodily fluids that are typically pale yellow & transparent that fill the inside of body cavities

Front 62

Parietal Serosa Membrane

Back 62

Membrane that forms the outer wall of the cavity

Front 63

Visceral Serosa Membrane

Back 63

Membrane that covers the organs.

Front 64

Parietal Pericardium

Back 64

The tough outermost layer of the pericardium that is attached to the diaphragm and the sternum

Front 65

Visceral Pericardium

Back 65

The innermost of the two layers of the pericardium

Front 66

Parietal Pleura

Back 66

Lines the inner surface of the chest wall, covers the diaphragm

Front 67

Visceral Pleura

Back 67

The inner layer of the parietal pleura.

Front 68

Parietal Peritoneum

Back 68

The membrane that lines the abdominal and pelvic cavities.

Front 69

Visceral Peritoneum

Back 69

The portion of the peritoneum covering the organs of the abdominal cavity.

Front 70

Epithelial Tissue

Back 70

A tissue composed of cells that line the cavities and surfaces of structures throughout the body.

Front 71

Simple Squamous Epithelium

Back 71

An epithelium characterised by its most superficial layer consisting of flat, scale-like cells called squamous cell.

Front 72

Simple Cuboidal Epithelium

Back 72

Epithelial cells in a single layer which have the same height, width and depth; but do not have to have an exact cubiodal shape can be found on the surface of ovaries, the lining of nephrons, the walls of the renal tubules & parts of the eye & thyroid.

Front 73

Simple Columnar Epithelium

Back 73

uni-layered cells that form the lining in the uterus and in most organs of the digestive tract including the stomach, small intestine, and large intestine.

Front 74

Pseudostratified Columnar Epithelium

Back 74

A simple columnar epithelium that gives the false apperance of being stratified.

Front 75

Stratified Squamous Epithelium

Back 75

Squamous cells that have two or more layers.

Front 76

Transitional Epithelium

Back 76

Stratified squamous cells formed of rounded cells with the abitity to slide over each other, giving organs the ability to be streched. Found in organs like the bladder,

Front 77

Connective Tissues

Back 77

Attaches muscles to bones or to muscles; attaches bones to bones.

Front 78

Fibroblasts

Back 78

A type of cell found in connective tissue that produces collagen.

Front 79

Matrix (Extracellular Matrix)

Back 79

The intercellular substance of a tissue or the tissue from which a structure develops.

Front 80

Ground Substance

Back 80

The amorphous intercellular material in which the cells and fibers of connective tissue are embedded, composed of proteoglycans, plasma constituents, metabolites, water, and ions present between cells and fibers.

Front 81

Fibers

Back 81

A long thread or filament constituting human and animal tissues

Front 82

Collagen Fibers
(White Fibers)

Back 82

An individual scleroprotein fiber composed of fibrils and usually arranged in branching bundles of indefinite length.

Front 83

Elastic Fibers
(Yellow Fibers)

Back 83

A slender fiber in connective tissue that is rich in the protein elastin and has an elastic quality.

Front 84

Reticular Fibers
(Fine Collagen)

Back 84

Any of the small, branching, argyrophilic, intercellular fiber elements that may be continuous with collagen fibers.

Front 85

Areolar (Loose) Connective Tissue

Back 85

A soft packaging of material that cushions and protects body organs

Front 86

Adipose (Fat) Tissue

Back 86

Provides insulation for the body tissues and a source of stored food.

Front 87

Reticular Connective Tissue

Back 87

Fibers form a soft intenal skeleton that supports other cell types like white blood cells, mast cells and macrophages.

Front 88

Dense Regular Connective TIssue

Back 88

Attaches muscles to bones or other muscles or muscles to muscles. WIthstands great tensile stress when pulled in one direction.

Front 89

Dense Irregular Connective TIssue

Back 89

Able to withstand tension exerted in many directions. Provides structural stregnth.

Front 90

Cartilage

Back 90

A specialized, fibrous connective tissue present in adults

Front 91

Chondrocytes

Back 91

A mature cartilage cell embedded in a lacuna within the cartilage matrix.

Front 92

Lucnae

Back 92

An anatomical cavity, space, or depression, especially in a bone.

Front 93

Hyaline Cartilage

Back 93

Amorphous but firm matrix of collagen fibers that form an imperceptible network. Provides cushioning and resist compressive stress.