Human Physiology Test Review

Front 1

Accomodation

Back 1

Adjustment; specifically, the process whereby the focal length of the eye is changed by automatic adjustment of the curvature of the lens to bring images of objects from various distances into focus on the retina.

Front 2

Active Transport

Back 2

The movement of molecules or ions across the cell membranes of epithelial cells by membrane carriers. An expenditure of cellular energy (ATP) Is required. Net movement across a membrane that occurs against a concentration gradient (to the region of higher concentration).

Front 3

Ascending Tract

Back 3

Ascending fiber tracts convey sensory information from cutaneous receptors, proprioceptors (muscle and joint receptors), and visceral receptors.

Front 4

Astrocyte

Back 4

Supporting cell, called neuroglial (or glial) cells, in the central nervous system. Astrocytes help to regulate the external environment of neurons in the CNS. Most abundant glial cell in the CNS. Take up K+ from the extracellular fluid.

Front 5

Axon

Back 5

The process of a nerve cell that conducts impulses away from the cell body.

Front 6

B(beta)-Oxidation

Back 6

Process where enzymes remove two-carbon acetic acid molecules from the acid end of a fatty acid chain, resulting in the formation of acetyl CoA.

Front 7

Cochlea

Back 7

The Organ of hearin in the inner ear where neve impulses are generated in response to sound waves.

Front 8

Coenzyme

Back 8

An organic molecule, usually derived from a water-soluable vatamin, that combines with and activates specific enzyme proteins.

Front 9

Cofactor

Back 9

A substance needed for the catalytic action of an enzymer; generally used in reference to inorganic ions such as CA2+ and MG2+

Front 10

Dehydration Synthesis

Back 10

A hydrogen aton is removed from one monosaccharide and a hydroxyl group (OH) is removed from another. Asa covalent bond is fomed between the two monosacharides, wate (H20) is produced.

Front 11

Enzyme

Back 11

A protein Catalyst that increases the rate of specific chemical reactions.

Front 12

Epinephrine

Back 12

A catecholamine hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to sympatheic nerve stimulation. It acts together with norepinephrine released from sympathetic nerve endings to prepare the organism for "fight or flight"; also known as adrenaline.

Front 13

Facilitated diffusion

Back 13

The carrier-mediated transport of molecules through the cell membrane along the direction of their concentration gradients. Id does not require the expenditure of metabolic energy. Higher to lower concentration.

Front 14

Gap Junction

Back 14

Specialized regions of fusion between the cell membranesof two adjacent cells that permit the diffusion of ions and small molecules fro one cell to the next. These regions serv as electrical synapses in certain areas, such as in cardiac muscles.

Front 15

Gylcogenesis

Back 15

The hdrolyis of glycogen to glucos-1-phosphate, which can be converted to glucose-6-phosphate. The glucose-6 phosphate then may be oxidized via glycolysis or (in the liver) converted to free glucose.

Front 16

Glycolysis

Back 16

The metabolic pathway that converts glucose to pyruvic acid. The final products are two molecules of pyruvic acid and two molecules or reduced NAD, with a net gain of two ATP molecules. In anerobic respiration, the reduced NAD is oxidized by the conversion of pyruvic acid to lactic acid. In aerobic respiration, pyruvic acid enters the Krebs cycle in mitochondria, and reduced NAD is ultimately oxidized by oxygen to yiled water.

Front 17

Homeostasis

Back 17

The dynamic constancy of the internal environment, the maintenanceof which is the principal function of physiological regulatory mechanisms. The concept of homeostatis proveds a framwork for understanding most physiological processes.

Front 18

Hydrolyis

Back 18

Reverse of dehydration synthesis. When a covalent bond joining two monosacharides is broke, a wate molecule proves the atoms needed to complete their structurwe. The wate molecule is split, and the resulting hydrogen aton is added to one of the free glucose molecules as the hydroxyl group is added to the other.

Front 19

Hyperplasia

Back 19

An increase in organ size because of an increase in the number of cells as a result of mitotic cell deivision.

Front 20

Hypothalamus

Back 20

An area of the brain lying below the thalamus and above the pituitary gland. The hypothalamus regulates the pituitary gland and contributes to the regulation of the autonomic nervous stystem, among its many functions.

Front 21

Left Hemisphere

Back 21

Speech, writing, main language center, calculation

Front 22

Mitosis

Back 22

Cell Division in which the two daughter cells receive the same number of chromosomes as the parent cell (both daughters and parent are diploid)

Front 23

Negative Feedback

Back 23

A response mechanism that serves to maintain a state of internal constancy, or homeostatsis. Effectors are activated by changes in the internal environment, and the inhibitory actions of the effectors serve to counteract these changes and maintain a state of balance.

Front 24

Osmosis

Back 24

The passage of solvent(water) from a more dilute to a more concentrated solutin through a membrane that is more permeable to water than to the solute.

Front 25

Oxidative Phosphorylation

Back 25

The formation of ATP by using energy derived from electron transport to oxygen. It occurs in the mitochondria.

Front 26

Neurotransmitter

Back 26

A chemical contaned in synaptic vesicles in nerve endings that is released into the synaptic cleft, where it causes the production of either excitatory or inhibitory postsynaptic potentials.

Front 27

Parasympathetic

Back 27

"rest and digest", Pertaining to the craniosacral division of the autonomic nervous system.

Front 28

Phasic receptor

Back 28

Receptors that respond with a burst of activity when a stimulus is first applied, but then quickly decreasetheir firing rate-adapt to the stimuls-if the stimulus is maintained.

Front 29

Physiology

Back 29

the branch of medical science that studies the functions of living organisms or their parts.

Front 30

Positive Feedback

Back 30

A response mechanism that results in the amplification of an initial change. Positive feedback results in avalanche-like effects, as occur in the formation of a blood clot or in the production of the LH surge by the stimularoty effect of estrogen.

Front 31

replication

Back 31

When a cell is going to divide, each DNA molecule replicates itself, and each of the identical DNA copies thus produced is distrubted to the two daughter cells.

Front 32

Right Hemisphere

Back 32

Simple language comprehension, spatial concepts

Front 33

tonic receptor

Back 33

Receptors that maintain their higher firing rate the entire time that a stimulus is applied.

Front 34

transcription

Back 34

The process by which messenger RNA directs the amino acid sequence of a growing polypetide during protein synthesis.

Front 35

Vagus

Back 35

The tenth cranial nerve, composed of sensory dendrites from visceral organs and preganglionic parasympatheic nerve fibers. The vagus is the major parsypmathetic nerve in the body.

Front 36

ADH

Back 36

antidiuretic hormone (ADH synthesized in the hypothalamus and stored in vesicles at the posterior pituitary.roles of ADH is to regulate the body's retention of water; it is released when the body is dehydrated and causes the kidneys to conserve water, thus concentrating the urine, and reducing urine volume. In high concentrations, it also raises blood pressure by inducing moderate vasoconstriction.

Front 37

adipocyte

Back 37

A fat cell, a connective tissue cell that has differentiated and become specialized in the synthesis (manufacture) and storage of fat.

Front 38

agglutination

Back 38

the clumping of particles. The word agglutination comes from the Latin agglutinare, meaning "to glue to."

Front 39

aldosterone

Back 39

a steroid hormone (mineralocorticoid family) produced by the outer-section (zona glomerulosa) of the adrenal cortex in the adrenal gland, and acts on the distal tubules and collecting ducts of the kidney to cause the conservation of sodium, secretion of potassium, increased water retention, and increased blood pressure. The overall effect of aldosterone is to increase reabsorption of ions and water in the kidney.

Front 40

atheroscelrosis

Back 40

comes from the Greek words athero (meaning gruel or paste) and sclerosis (hardness). It's the name of the process in which deposits of fatty substances, cholesterol, cellular waste products, calcium and other substances build up in the inner lining of an artery. This buildup is called plaque.

Front 41

baroreceptor reflex

Back 41

one of the body's homeostatic mechanisms for maintaining blood pressure. It provides a negative feedback loop in which an elevated blood pressure reflexively causes blood pressure to decrease; similarly, decreased blood pressure depresses the baroreflex, causing blood pressure to rise.

Front 42

compliance

Back 42

a measure of the tendency of a hollow organ to resist recoil toward its original dimensions upon removal of a distending or compressing force.Pressure stockings are sometimes used to externally reduce compliance, and thus keep blood from pooling in the legs.

Front 43

crossed-extensor

Back 43

a withdrawal reflex.

When the reflex occurs the flexors in the withdrawing limb contract and the extensors relax, while in the other limb the opposite occurs.

An example of this is when a person steps on a nail, the leg that is stepping on the nail pulls away, while the other leg takes the weight of the whole body.

Front 44

dialysis

Back 44

primarily used to provide an artificial replacement for lost kidney function (renal replacement therapy) due to renal failu When healthy, the kidneys maintain the body's internal equilibrium of water and minerals (sodium, potassium, chloride, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sulfate) and the kidneys remove from the blood the daily metabolic load of fixed hydrogen ions.

Front 45

diastole

Back 45

is the period of time when the heart fills with blood after systole (contraction). Ballistics accurately describes Diastole as recoil opposed to coil or Systole.The term diastole originates from the Greek word διαστολη, meaning dilation.

Front 46

edema

Back 46

is an abnormal accumulation of fluid beneath the skin, or in one or more cavities of the body.

Front 47

Erythropoietin (EPO):

Back 47

A hormone produced by the kidney that promotes the formation of red blood cells in the bone marrow.The kidney cells that make EPO are specialized and are sensitive to low oxygen levels in the blood. These cells release EPO when the oxygen level is low in the kidney. EPO then stimulates the bone marrow to produce more red cells and thereby increase the oxygen-carrying capacity of the blood.

Front 48

fatigue

Back 48

to a specific work-induced burning sensation within one's muscles. Fatigue is considered a symptom

Front 49

fibrillation

Back 49

the rapid, irregular, and unsynchronized contraction of muscle fibers

Front 50

hemeostatis

Back 50

is the property of a system, either open or closed, that regulates its internal environment and tends to maintain a stable, constant condition

Front 51

Hypertension

Back 51

is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure is elevated. Risk factors: Aging.
Drinking more than 2 alcohol drinks a day for men or more than 1 alcohol drink a day for women.
Eating a lot of sodium (salt).
Being overweight or obese.
Having high cholesterol.
Not exercising.
Being under a lot of stress.
Eating a diet low in potassium, magnesium, and calcium.
Being insulin-resistant.

Front 52

Hyperthyroidism

Back 52

a condition in which the thyroid gland is overactive, and makes too much thyroid hormone (called thyroxine [T4 ] and triiodothyronine [T3 ]).

Front 53

ileum

Back 53

the final section of the small intestine

Front 54

lipase

Back 54

a water-soluble enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of ester bonds in water–insoluble, lipid substrates.[

Front 55

liver

Back 55

The liver has many functions. Some of the functions are: to produce substances that break down fats, convert glucose to glycogen, produce urea (the main substance of urine), make certain amino acids (the building blocks of proteins), filter harmful substances from the blood (such as alcohol), storage of vitamins and minerals (vitamins A, D, K and B12) and maintain a proper level or glucose in the blood. The liver is also responsible for producing cholesterol. It produces about 80% of the cholesterol in your body.

Front 56

luteinizing hormone

Back 56

LH, also known as lutropin[1]) is a hormone produced by the anterior pituitary gland.

In the female, an acute rise of LH – the LH surge – triggers ovulation. [2]
In the male, where LH had also been called Interstitial Cell Stimulating Hormone (ICSH),[3] it stimulates Leydig cell production of testosterone.

Front 57

meiosis

Back 57

is a process of reductional division in which the number of chromosomes per cell is halved.

Front 58

oxytocin

Back 58

hormone that also acts as a neurotransmitter in the brain.

It is best known for its roles in female reproduction: it is released in large amounts after distension of the cervix and vagina during labor, and after stimulation of the nipples, facilitating birth and breastfeeding,

Front 59

peristalsis

Back 59

is a radially symmetrical contraction of muscles which propagates in a wave down the muscular tube. In humans, peristalsis is found in the contraction of smooth muscles to propel contents through the digestive tract

Front 60

proximal tuble

Back 60

is the portion of the duct system of the nephron leading from Bowman's capsule to the loop of Henle.

Front 61

sliding filament

Back 61

Myosin is a molecular motor that acts like an active ratchet. Chains of actin proteins form high tensile passive 'thin' filaments that transmit the force generated by myosin to the ends of the muscle. Myosin also forms 'thick' filaments. Each myosin 'paddles' along an actin filament repeatedly binding, ratcheting and letting go, sliding the thick filament over thin filament.

Front 62

QRS Wave

Back 62

A group of waves depicted on an electrocardiogram; it actually consists of three distinct waves created by the passage of the cardiac electrical impulse through the ventricles and occurs at the beginning of each contraction of the ventricles. In a normal electrocardiogram the R wave is the most prominent of the three; the Q and S waves may be extremely weak and sometimes are absent.

Front 63

Respiratory Acidosis

Back 63

Respiratory acidosis is a condition that occurs when the lungs cannot remove all of the carbon dioxide the body produces. This disrupts the body's acid-base balance. Body fluids become too acidic.

Front 64

tetanus

Back 64

also called lockjaw, is a medical condition characterized by a prolonged contraction of skeletal muscle fibers. The primary symptoms are caused by tetanospasmin, a neurotoxin produced by the Gram-positive, obligate anaerobic bacterium Clostridium tetani. Infection generally occurs through wound contamination and often involves a cut or deep puncture wound

Front 65

Tidal volume

Back 65

is the lung volume representing the normal volume of air displaced between normal inhalation and exhalation when extra effort is not applied.