Chapter 8 - Pathophysiology Flashcards
Acid-Base Balance
Delicate balance between the body’s acidity and alkalinity
Active Transport
A process used to move substances against the concentration gradient or toward the side that has a higher concentration; requires he use of energy by the cell but is faster than diffusion
Aldosterone
A hormone responsible for the reabsorption of sodium and water from the kidney tubules
Anion
A negatively charged ion
Antidiuretic Hormone (ADH)
A hormone release in response to detected loss of body water; prevents further loss of water through the urinary tract by promoting the reabsorption of water into the blood
Anucleated
Cells of the body that do not have a central nucleus, such as those in cardiac muscle
Atrophy
Decrease in cell size that negatively affects function
Buffer Systems
Compensatory mechanisms that act together to control pH
Capsid
Layers of protein enveloping the genome of a virion; composed of structural units called the capsomeres
Capsule
A membranous shell surrounding certain microorganisms, such as the pneumococcus bacterium
Catabolism
Process of breaking down complex substances into more simple ones
Cation
A positively charged ion
Cellular Swelling
Swelling of cellular tissues, usually from injury
Chromatin
Material with a cell nucleus from which the chromosomes are formed
Chromosomes
Any of the threadlike structures in the nucleus of a cell that function in the transmission of genetic information; each consists of a double strand of DNA attached to proteins called histones
Cytosol
Liquid medium of the cytoplasm
Dehydration
A state in which the body has an excessive water loss from the tissues
Deoxyribonucleic Acid (DNA)
Genetic material passed on to the cell from the parent cell
Diapedesis
Migration of phagocytes through the endothelial wall of the vasculature into surrounding tissues
Differentiation
Process by which the cell becomes specialized for a specific purpose, such as a cardiac cell versus a bone cell
Diffusion
Spreading out of molecules from an area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration
Dysplasia
Abnormal cell growth; cells take on an abnormal size, shape, and organization as a result of ongoing irritation or inflammation
Edema
A collection of water in the interstitial space
Endogenous
Produced within the organism