The Human Body: An Orientation

Front 1

Anatomy

Back 1

the science of the structure of living organisms

Front 2

Physiology

Back 2

the science of the functioning of living organisms

Front 3

Atom

Back 3

the smallest part of an element, indivisible by ordinary chemical means

Front 4

Cell

Back 4

the basic biological unit of living organisms, enclosed by a limiting membrane; cells in more complex organisms contain a nucleus and a variety of organelles

Front 5

Tissue

Back 5

a group of similar cells specialized to preform a specific function; primary tissue types of epithelial, connective, muscle, and nervous tissue.

Front 6

Organ

Back 6

a part of the body formed of two or more tissues that performs a specialized function

Front 7

Organ System

Back 7

a group of organs that work together to preform a vital body function

Front 8

Organism

Back 8

an individual living thing

Front 9

Integumentary system

Back 9

the skin and its accessory organs

Front 10

Skeletal system

Back 10

system of protection and support composed primarily of bone and cartilage

Front 11

Muscular system

Back 11

organ system consisting of skeletal muscles and their connective tissue and attachments

Front 12

Nervous system

Back 12

fast-acting control system that employs nerve impulses to trigger muscle contractions or gland secretion

Front 13

Endocrine system

Back 13

body system that includes internal organs that secrete hormones

Front 14

Cardiovascular system

Back 14

organ system that distributes blood to all the parts of the body

Front 15

Lymphatic system

Back 15

the lymphatic vessels, and the lymphoid tissues and organs including the lymph nodes

Front 16

Respiratory system

Back 16

organ system that carries out gas exchange; includes the nose, pharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and the lungs

Front 17

Digestive system

Back 17

system that processes food in absorable units and eliminates indigestible wastes

Front 18

Urinary System

Back 18

system primarily responsible for water, electrolyte, and acid-base balance and the removal of nitrogen-containing wastes from the blood

Front 19

Reproductive System

Back 19

organ system that functions to produce offspring

Front 20

Movement

Back 20

includes all the activities promoted by the muscular system

Front 21

Responsiveness(Irritability)

Back 21

the ability to sense change(stimuli) in the environment and then react to them

Front 22

Digestion System

Back 22

system that processes food into absorbable units and eliminates indigestible water

Front 23

Metabolism

Back 23

the sum total of all the chemical reactions that occur in the body

Front 24

Excretion

Back 24

the elimination of waste products from the body

Front 25

Nutrients

Back 25

contain the chemicals used for energy and cell building

Front 26

Normal body temperature

Back 26

98.6 degrees F

Front 27

Computed Tomography(CT)

Back 27

confines beam to a thin slice of the body and ends the confusion resulting from images of overlapping structures

Front 28

Dynamic Spatial Reconstruction (DSR)

Back 28

provides three-dimensional images of body angles from any angle

Front 29

Digital Subtraction Angiography(DSA)

Back 29

provides unobstructed view of diseased blood vessels

Front 30

Positron Emission Tomography(PET Scan)

Back 30

excels in observing metabolic processes

Front 31

Ultrasound Imaging

Back 31

employs high-frequency sound waves as its energy source; echoes are analyzed by computer to construct images of body organs of interest

Front 32

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Back 32

test that uses a magnetic field and pulses of radio wave energy to make pictures of organs and structures inside the body

Front 33

Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Back 33

also known as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy; a non-invasive, ionizing-radiation-free analytical technique

Front 34

functional MRI(fMRI)

Back 34

neuro-imaging procedure using MRI technology that measures brain activity by detecting changes associated with blood flow

Front 35

Atmospheric Pressure

Back 35

the force exerted on the surface of the body by the weight of air

Front 36

Homeostasis

Back 36

a state of body equilibrium or stable internal environment of the body

Front 37

Receptor

Back 37

some type of sensor that monitors and responds to changes in the environment

Front 38

Control center

Back 38

determines the level at which the variable is to be maintained, analyzes the information it receives and then determines the appropriate response

Front 39

effector

Back 39

provides the means for the control center's response to the stimulus

Front 40

Negative feedback mechanisms

Back 40

the net effect of the response is to shut off the original stimulus is to shut or reduce its intensity

Front 41

Positive feedback mechanisms

Back 41

control infrequent events that occur explosively and do not require continuous adjustments

Front 42

Homeostatic imbalance

Back 42

an inability of the body to restore a functional, stable internal environment; can cause diseases

Front 43

Anatomical position

Back 43

The erect position of the body with the face directed forward, the arms at the side, and the palms of the hands facing forward

Front 44

Directional terms

Back 44

allow medical personnel and anatomists to explain exactly where one body structure is in relation to another

Front 45

Superior(cranial)

Back 45

Toward the head or upper part of a structure or the body; above

Front 46

Interior(Caudal)

Back 46

away from the head end or toward the lower part of a structure or the body; below

Front 47

literal translation of "caudal"

Back 47

"towards the tail"

Front 48

Ventral(anterior)

Back 48

Toward or at the front of the body; in front of

Front 49

Dorsal(posterior)

Back 49

Toward the backside of the body; behind

Front 50

Medial

Back 50

toward or at the midline of the body; on the inner side of

Front 51

Lateral

Back 51

away from the midline of the body; on the inner side of

Front 52

Intermediate

Back 52

Between a more medial and a more lateral structure

Front 53

Proximal

Back 53

Close to the origin of the body part or point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

Front 54

Distal

Back 54

Farther from the origin of a body part of the point of attachment of a limb to the body trunk

Front 55

Superficial(external)

Back 55

Toward or at the body surface

Front 56

Deep(internal)

Back 56

Away from the body surface; more internal

Front 57

abdominal

Back 57

anterior body trunk to ribs

Front 58

acromial

Back 58

point of the shoulder

Front 59

antebrachial

Back 59

forearm

Front 60

antecubital

Back 60

anterior surface of the elbow

Front 61

axillary

Back 61

armpit

Front 62

brachial

Back 62

arm

Front 63

buccal

Back 63

cheek arm

Front 64

carpal

Back 64

wrist

Front 65

cervical

Back 65

neck region

Front 66

coxal

Back 66

hip

Front 67

crural

Back 67

leg

Front 68

deltoid

Back 68

curse of shoulder formed by large deltoid muscle

Front 69

digital

Back 69

fingers, toes

Front 70

femoral

Back 70

thigh

Front 71

fibular

Back 71

lateral part of the leg

Front 72

frontal

Back 72

forehead

Front 73

inguinal

Back 73

area where thigh meets the body trunk; groin

Front 74

mental

Back 74

chin

Front 75

nasal

Back 75

nose area

Front 76

orbital

Back 76

eye area

Front 77

oral

Back 77

mouth

Front 78

patellar

Back 78

anterior knee

Front 79

pelvic

Back 79

area overlying the pelvis anteriorly

Front 80

pubic

Back 80

genital region

Front 81

sternal

Back 81

breastbone area

Front 82

tarsal

Back 82

ankle region

Front 83

thoracic

Back 83

chest

Front 84

umbilical

Back 84

navel

Front 85

calcaneal

Back 85

heel of foot

Front 86

cephalic

Back 86

head

Front 87

femoral

Back 87

thigh

Front 88

gluteal

Back 88

buttock

Front 89

lumbar

Back 89

area of back between ribs and hips; the loin

Front 90

occipital

Back 90

posterior surface of head or base of skull

Front 91

olecranal

Back 91

posterior surface of elbow

Front 92

popliteal

Back 92

posterior knee area

Front 93

sacral

Back 93

between hips

Front 94

scapular

Back 94

shoulder blade region

Front 95

sural

Back 95

posterior surface of leg; the calf

Front 96

vertebral

Back 96

area of the spinal column

Front 97

plantar region

Back 97

sole of the foot

Front 98

sagittal section

Back 98

cut along the lengthwise or longitudinal plane of the body, dividing the body into right and left parts

Front 99

median(midsagittal)

Back 99

cut down the median plane of the body and the right and left sides are equal

Front 100

frontal(coronal) section

Back 100

cut along a lengthwise plane that divides the body into the anterior and posterior parts

Front 101

transverse(cross section) section

Back 101

cut along a horizontal plane, dividing the body or organ in superior and inferior parts

Front 102

Dorsal body cavity

Back 102

back portion of the body; contains the cranial cavity and the spinal cavity

Front 103

Cranial Cavity

Back 103

space inside the bony skull

Front 104

spinal cavity

Back 104

extends from the cranial cavity nearly to the end of the vertebral column

Front 105

ventral body cavity

Back 105

contains all the structures within the chest and abdomen; contains the visceral organs

Front 106

mediastinum

Back 106

region that separates the lungs into right and left cavities in the thoracic cavity

Front 107

abdominal cavity

Back 107

contains the stomach, liver, intestines, and other organs

Front 108

pelvic cavity

Back 108

inferior; reproductive organs, bladder, and rectum

Front 109

umbilical region

Back 109

centermost region, deep to and surrounding the umbilicus(navel)

Front 110

epigastric region

Back 110

superior to the umbilical region

Front 111

hypogastric(pubic) region

Back 111

inferior to the umbilical region

Front 112

right and left iliac(inguinal) regions

Back 112

lateral to the hypogastric region

Front 113

right and left lumbar regions

Back 113

lateral to the umbilical region

Front 114

right and left hypochondriac regions

Back 114

flank the epigastric region and contain the lower ribs