What is anatomy?

The study of body structures.

What is physiology?

The study of body functions.

What is the smallest living unit of the body?

The cell.

What is a tissue?

A group of similar cells performing a function.

What is an organ?

A structure made of two or more tissue types.

What is an organ system?

Organs working together for major body functions.

What is the highest level of body organization?

The organism.

What is the chemical level made of?

Atoms and molecules.

What is the cellular level?

Cells, the basic living units.

What is homeostasis?

Maintaining a relatively stable internal environment.

What is a stimulus in homeostasis?

A change that causes a response.

What does a receptor do?

Detects a change or stimulus.

What does a control center do?

Processes information and determines a response.

What does an effector do?

Carries out the response.

What is negative feedback?

A response that reverses the original change.

What is positive feedback?

A response that amplifies the original change.

Give an example of negative feedback.

Sweating helps lower elevated body temperature.

Give an example of positive feedback.

Uterine contractions intensify during childbirth.

What is metabolism?

All chemical reactions occurring in the body.

What is anabolism?

Building larger molecules from smaller molecules.

What is catabolism?

Breaking larger molecules into smaller molecules.

What is responsiveness?

The ability to detect and respond to changes.

What is movement as a life function?

Motion of the body or substances within it.

What is growth?

An increase in body size or cell number.

What is differentiation?

Cells becoming specialized in structure and function.

What is reproduction?

Producing new cells or a new organism.

What is digestion?

Breaking food into smaller absorbable substances.

What is excretion?

Removing wastes from the body.

What does the integumentary system include?

Skin, hair, nails, and associated glands.

What is the main function of the skeletal system?

Support, protection, movement assistance, and blood cell formation.

What is the main function of the muscular system?

Movement, posture, and heat production.

What does the nervous system do?

Provides rapid control using electrical signals.

What does the endocrine system do?

Regulates body functions using hormones.

What is the main function of the cardiovascular system?

Transports blood, oxygen, nutrients, and wastes.

What does the lymphatic system do?

Returns tissue fluid and supports immune defense.

What is the respiratory system's main function?

Exchanges oxygen and carbon dioxide.

What is the digestive system's main function?

Processes food and absorbs nutrients.

What does the urinary system regulate?

Removes wastes and helps balance water and electrolytes.

What is the main function of the reproductive system?

Produces sex cells and enables reproduction.

What does superior mean?

Toward the head or upper part of the body.

What does inferior mean?

Toward the feet or lower part of the body.

What does anterior mean?

Toward the front of the body.

What does posterior mean?

Toward the back of the body.

What does medial mean?

Toward the body's midline.

What does lateral mean?

Away from the body's midline.

What does proximal mean?

Closer to the point of attachment or trunk.

What does distal mean?

Farther from the point of attachment or trunk.

What does superficial mean?

Closer to the body surface.

What does deep mean?

Farther from the body surface.

What plane divides the body into left and right?

The sagittal plane.

What plane divides the body into equal left and right halves?

The midsagittal plane.

What plane divides the body into front and back?

The frontal or coronal plane.

What plane divides the body into upper and lower parts?

The transverse plane.

What cavity contains the brain?

The cranial cavity.

What cavity contains the spinal cord?

The vertebral cavity.

What cavities surround the lungs?

The pleural cavities.

What cavity contains the heart?

The pericardial cavity, within the mediastinum.

What is the diaphragm?

A muscle separating the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.

What is the largest organ of the integumentary system?

The skin.

What are the three main layers beneath the skin surface?

Epidermis, dermis, and hypodermis.

What is the epidermis?

The outer epithelial layer of the skin.

What is the dermis?

The connective tissue layer beneath the epidermis.

What is the hypodermis?

Subcutaneous tissue beneath the dermis; it is not skin proper.

Does the epidermis contain blood vessels?

No; it receives nutrients by diffusion from deeper tissues.

What type of epithelium forms the epidermis?

Keratinized stratified squamous epithelium.

What is keratin?

A tough protein that strengthens and waterproofs the epidermis.

What produces melanin?

Melanocytes.

What is the main role of melanin?

It helps protect cells from ultraviolet radiation.

What is the deepest epidermal layer?

Stratum basale.

What is the outermost epidermal layer?

Stratum corneum.

What happens in the stratum basale?

Cells divide to replace lost epidermal cells.

What makes the stratum corneum protective?

Layers of flattened, dead, keratin-filled cells.

What are the five epidermal strata in thick skin?

Basale, spinosum, granulosum, lucidum, and corneum.

Which epidermal layer occurs only in thick skin?

Stratum lucidum.

Where is thick skin found?

Primarily on the palms and soles.

Where is thin skin found?

Most other body surfaces.

What are dermal papillae?

Projections of dermis that interlock with the epidermis.

What gives fingerprints their patterns?

Ridges shaped by dermal papillae and the overlying epidermis.

What tissue forms much of the dermis?

Connective tissue containing collagen and elastic fibers.

What do collagen fibers provide?

Tensile strength and resistance to stretching.

What do elastic fibers provide?

Stretch and recoil.

What is the hypodermis rich in?

Adipose tissue and loose connective tissue.

What are major functions of subcutaneous fat?

Insulation, cushioning, and energy storage.

What glands produce sebum?

Sebaceous glands.

What is sebum?

An oily secretion that lubricates skin and hair.

Which glands usually release sweat for cooling?

Merocrine (eccrine) sweat glands.

What is the main function of eccrine sweat?

Cooling the body through evaporation.

Where are apocrine sweat glands commonly found?

The armpits and groin region.

What causes body odor from apocrine secretions?

Bacteria breaking down components of the secretion.

What are arrector pili muscles?

Small smooth muscles that raise hairs, causing goosebumps.

What is a hair follicle?

A skin structure from which a hair grows.

Where does hair growth occur?

In the hair matrix within the hair bulb.

What is the hair shaft?

The part of hair that extends above the skin surface.

What is the nail matrix?

The growth region that produces most of the nail plate.

What is the nail plate made of?

Hard, keratinized cells.

How does skin help regulate temperature?

Sweating and changes in dermal blood flow.

How does vasodilation affect heat loss?

It increases surface blood flow and promotes heat loss.

How does vasoconstriction affect heat loss?

It reduces surface blood flow and conserves heat.

How does skin help protect against infection?

It forms a physical barrier and supports immune defenses.

How does skin help synthesize vitamin D?

UVB exposure initiates vitamin D production in the skin.

Which receptors detect light touch?

Merkel cells and tactile receptors, including Meissner corpuscles.

Which receptors detect deep pressure and vibration?

Pacinian corpuscles.

What are the major skin sensory functions?

Detecting touch, pressure, pain, and temperature.

What is a first-degree burn?

A superficial burn affecting the epidermis.

What is a second-degree burn?

A partial-thickness burn affecting the epidermis and part of the dermis.

What is a third-degree burn?

A full-thickness burn destroying the epidermis and dermis.

Why can severe burns cause dehydration?

Damaged skin loses its ability to limit fluid loss.

What is melanoma?

A cancer of melanocytes that can spread rapidly.

What does the ABCDE rule help assess?

Possible melanoma: asymmetry, border, color, diameter, and evolution.

Why should changing skin pigmentation be checked?

Changes can signal skin damage or possible skin cancer.

What is the role of hair in skin protection?

It helps protect areas such as the scalp and traps particles in some regions.

What is the function of nails?

They protect fingertips and toes and assist fine movements.

Why does skin appear red during inflammation?

Increased blood flow to the affected area.

What are stretch marks associated with?

Changes that damage or stretch connective tissue in the dermis.

What is cyanosis?

Bluish skin coloration that can be associated with low blood oxygen.

What is jaundice?

Yellowing of skin and eyes from bilirubin buildup.