Anatomy & Physiology Week 1 Flashcards
Anatomy
Anatomy is the study of the structure of the body, and the relationships of those structures
ana = up
tom = process of cutting
Physiology
Physiology is the study of the functions of the parts of the body
physio = nature
logy = study of
Standard Anatomical Position
-Standing
-Head facing forward
-Arms at side
-Palms facing forward
-fingers extended
Directional Terms related to standard anatomical position
Superior: body part closer to the head or above another body part
Inferior: a body part further away from the head, or below another body part
Ex: The knee is superior to the ankle, but inferior to the pelvis
Anterior: toward the front of the body
Posterior: toward the back of the body
Ex: The forehead is anterior to the brain. The spine is posterior to the navel
Medial: body part closer to the midline of the body
Lateral: body part is further from the midline
Ex: The nose is medial to the ears. Ears are lateral to the mouth.
Anatomical Position
Proximal: nearer to the trunk or the point of origin of a part
Ex: the elbow is proximal to the wrist
Distal: away from the trunk or the point of origin
Ex: Fingers are distal to the wrist
Superficial and Deep: respectively referring to a body part or structure near the surface of the body, or to parts more internal
Ex: Skin is superficial to muscle tissue. Bones are deep to the skin.
Levels of Structural Organization
Structural Organization: Viewing the architecture of the human body from micro to macro, in increasing levels of complexity
Chemical Level
The chemical elements necessary to sustain life
Major elements include: oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen
Lesser elements include: calcium, magnesium
Trace elements include: copper, iodine, zinc
Cellular and Tissue
Cellular: Formed from molecular building blocks
Ex: blood cell, nerve cell
Tissue: Groups of cells that work together to perform a common function
Ex: muscle tissue (smooth, cardiac, striated)
Organ
Organ:
-anatomically distinct structure
-often has a recognizable shape
-performs a specific physiological function
Ex: Lungs, heart, stomach
Organ System
Related organs with a common function
esophagus, liver, gallbladder, pancreas, ascending colon, appendix, spleen, stomach, transverse colon, descending colon, small intestine, rectum
Chemistry
the science of the composition, structure, properties, and reactions of matter
Elements
All matter is composed of fundamental substances called elements
Major elements:
oxygen, carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen
Oxygen accounts for nearly 65% of our chemical makeup
Organic Compounds
Carbohydrates
Lipids
Proteins
Carbohydrates
Carbohydrate molecules are made up of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen atoms. The term monosaccharide, what we also refer to as a “simple sugar”, designates a carbohydrate with 6 carbon atoms, and they are often the building blocks for more complex carbohydrates. Simple sugars include glucose, fructose, and galactose.
Carbohydrates may be most well-known for providing a source of energy for our cells. Carbohydrates can also be stored within tissue for future energy supply, and to a smaller extent, they contribute to building certain cell structures.
Lipids
Lipids, composed of hydrogen and carbon atoms, are a group of organic compounds which includes fats, steroids, and phospholipids.
Fats are the most common lipid in the human body, and primarily serve as energy storage. Fat molecules provide over twice the amount of energy, gram for gram, than carbohydrates or protein. Lipids also play a critical role in the structure of our cell membranes and are used to build hormones and other signaling molecules.
Protein
While we readily associate protein with muscle tissue, proteins serve a wide variety of functions within the body. In addition to oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen, proteins also contain nitrogen, and sometimes sulfur.
Other important types of proteins in the body are enzymes, which are like spark plugs for chemical reactions, and antibodies, which are an integral part of our immune system. They also build receptor sites on cell surfaces and neurotransmitters used for cellular communication.
Inorganic Compound (no carbon)
Water – from a chemistry standpoint – is an inorganic substance. Composed of just hydrogen and oxygen, it is the most abundant compound found in living material, and it makes up nearly 60-70% of our body weight.
Water plays numerous roles in the body, including transporting nutrients, flushing toxins and waste, and lubricating our joints and tissues. Roughly 60% of the water in our bodies is found within cells. The volume of intracellular fluid is tightly regulated to maintain appropriate concentration and helps facilitate many routine cellular activities.
