Anatomy and
Physiology Terms
Intro. to Anatomy and
Physiology
Anatomy
• Branch of science dealing with
the form and structure of body
parts.
Physiology
• Branch of science that studies
body functions.
Appendicular
• Upper and lower limbs
Axial
• Head, neck, and trunk
Homeostasis
• State of equilibrium in which
the internal environment of the
body remains at a normal
range.
Cellular Metabolism
Anabolism
• Synthesis of larger molecules
from smaller molecules.
Synthesis
• Building large molecules from
smaller ones.
Catabolism
• Breakdown of larger molecules
into smaller ones.
Decomposition
• The breakdown of molecules
into simpler compounds.
Oxidation
• Process by which oxygen is
combined with another
chemical.
Enzyme
• Protein that catalyzes a
specific biochemical reaction.
Substrate
• Target of enzyme action.
Organic
• Carbon-containing molecules.
Inorganic
• Chemical substances that lack
carbon and hydrogen.
Ion
• Atom or molecule with an
electric charge.
Lipid
• Fat, oil, or fatlike compound
that usually has fatty acids in
its molecular structure.
Nucleic Acid
• Substance composed of
boded nucleotides; RNA or
DNA.
Cells
Cytoplasm
• The contents of a cell
excluding the nucleus and cell
membrane.
Organelle
• Part of a cell that performs a
specialized function.
Nucleus
• Cellular organelle enclosed by
a double-layer, porous
membrane and containing
DNA.
Differentiation
• Cell specialization
Diffusion
• Random movement of
molecules from a region of
higher concentration toward
one of lower concentration.
Facilitated Diffusion
• Diffusion in which a carrier
molecule transports a
substance across a cell
membrane from a region of
higher concentration to a
region of lower concentration.
Active Transport
• Process that requires energy
to move a substance across a
cell membrane, usually against
the concentration gradient.
Osmosis
• Diffusion of water through a
selectively permeable
membrane in response to a
concentration gradient.
Equilibrium
• State of balance between two
opposing forces.
Endocytosis
• Physiological process by
which a cell membrane
envelopes a substance and
draws it into the cell in a
vesicle.
Exocytosis
• Transport of a substance out
of a cell in a membrane-bound
vesicle.
Phagocytosis
• Process by which a cell
engulfs and digests solids.
Pinocytosis
• Process by which a cell
engulfs droplets of fluid from
its surroundings.
Mitosis
• Division of a somatic cell (body
cell) to form two genetically
identical cells.
Meiosis
• Cell division that halves the
genetic material, resulting in
egg and sperm cells
(gametes).
Tissues
Epithelial Tissue
• One of the basic types of
tissue that covers all free body
surfaces.
Connective Tissue
• Basic type of tissue that
consists of cells within an
extracellular matrix, including
bone, cartilage, blood, loose
and fibrous connective tissue.
Adipose Tissue
• Fat storing tissue.
Cartilage
• Type of connective tissue in
which cells are located in the
lacunae and are separated by
a semisolid extracellular
matrix.
Nervous Tissue
• Neurons and neuroglial cells
composing the brain, spinal
cord, and nerves.
Integumentary
Integumentary
• Pertaining to the skin and its
accessory organs.
Epidermis
• Outer epithelial layer of skin.
Dermis
• The thick layer of skin beneath
the epidermis.
Subcutaneous Layer
• Layer of tissue that is mostly
fat and beneath the skin;
hypodermis.
Sebaceous Gland
• Skin gland that secretes
sebum (oil).
Sweat Gland
• Exocrine gland in skin that
secretes a mixture of water,
salt, urea, and other bodily
fluids.
Melanin
• Dark pigment found in the skin
and hair.
Keratinization
• Process by which cells form
fibrils of keratin and harden.
Arrector Pili Muscle
• Smooth muscle in the skin
associated with a hair follicle
(goose bumps).
Skeletal System
Spongy Bone
• Bone that consists of bars and
plates separated by irregular
spaces; cancellous bone.
Compact Bone
• Dense tissue in which cells are
arranged in osteons with no
apparent spaces.
Diaphysis
• Shaft of the long bone.
Epiphysis
• End of a long bone.
Periosteum
• Fibrous connective tissue
covering the surface of the
bone.
Medullary Cavity
• Cavity containing marrow
within the diaphysis of a long
bone.
Marrow
• Connective tissue that
occupies space within bones
that includes stem cells.
Articular Cartilage
• Hyaline cartilage that covers
the ends of bones in synovial
joints.
Intramembraneous Bone
• Bone that forms from
membrane-like layers of
primitive connective tissue.
Endochondral Bone
• Bone that begins as hyaline
cartilage that is subsequently
replaced by bone tissue.
Osteocyte
• Mature bone cell.
Synovial Joint
• Feely movable joint.
Synovial Fluid
• Fluid that they synovial
membrane secretes.
Synovial Membrane
• Membrane that forms the inner
lining of a freely moveable
joint.
Muscular System
Actin
• A protein in a muscle fiber that
forms filaments that slide
between filaments of the
protein myosin, contracting
muscle fibers.
Myosin
• A protein that, with actin,
contracts and relaxes muscle
fibers.
Sarcomere
• Structural and functional unit
of a myofibril.
Neurotransmitter
• Chemical that an axon end
secretes to stimulate a muscle
fiber to contract or a neuron to
fire an impluse.
Nervous System
Neuron
• Nerve cell
Neuroglial Cell
• Specialized cell of the nervous
system that produces myelin,
communicates between cells,
and maintains the ionic
environment, as well as
provides other functions.
Soma
• Body of the neuron that
contains the nucleus.
Axon
• A nerve fiber; conducts a
nerve impulse away from a
neuron.
Dendrite
• Process of a neuron that
receives input from other
neurons.
Meninges
• Membrane that covers the
brain and spinal cord.
Synapse
• Functional connection
between the axon of one
neuron and the dendrite or cell
body of another neuron or the
membrane of another cell
type.
Reflex
• Rapid, automatic response to
a stimulus.
Action Potential
• Sequence of electrical
changes that occurs in a
portion of a nerve cell
membrane that is exposed to a
stimulus that exceeds the
membrane’s threshold.
Sclera
• White fibrous outer layer of the
eyeball.
Cornea
• Transparent anterior portion of
the outer layer of the eye wall.
Retina
• Inner layer of the eye wall that
contains the visual receptors.
Rods
• Type of light receptor that
provides colorless vision.
Cones
• Color receptor in the retina of
the eye.
Cochlea
• Portion of the inner ear that
has hearing receptors.
Endocrine System
Hormone
• Substance secreted by an
endocrine gland and
transported in the blood.
Target Cell
• Cell with specific receptors on
which a hormone exerts its
effect.
Cardiovascular System
and Blood
Atrium
• Chamber of the heart that
receives blood from veins.
Ventricle
• Cavity, such as brain ventricles
filled with cerebrospinal fluid,
or heart ventricles that contain
blood.
Arteriole
• Small branch of an artery that
communicates with a capillary
network.
Capillary
• A small blood vessel that
connects an arteriole and a
venule.
Venule
• Vessel that carries blood from
capillaries to a vein.
Plasma
• Fluid portion of circulating
blood.
Erythrocyte
• Red blood cell
Leukocyte
• White blood cell
Platelet
• Cytoplasmic fragment formed
in the bone marrow that helps
blood clot.
Antigen
• Chemical that stimulates B
lymphocytes to produce
antibodies.
Antibody
• Protein that B cells of the
immune system produce in
response to the presence of a
nonself antigen; it reacts with
the antigen.
Respiratory System
Inspiration
• Breathing in.
Expiration
• Expulsion of air from the lungs.
Bronchi
• Branches of the trachea that
lead to the lungs.
Alveoli
• Air sac of a lung.
Digestive System
Alimentary Canal
• Tubular portion of the digestive
tract that leads from the mouth
to the anus.
Peristalisis
• Rhythmic waves of muscular
contraction in the walls of
certain tubular organs
(digestion).
Bile
• Fluid secreted by the liver and
stored in the gallbladder
(emulsifies fats).
Villi
• Tiny, finger-like projection that
extends outward from the
inner lining of the small
intestines.
Urinary System
Nephron
• Functional unit of the kidney.
Reproductive System
Puberty
• Stage of development in which
the reproductive organs
become functional.
Ovulation
• Release of an egg cell from a
mature ovarian follicle.
Progesterone
• Female hormone secreted by
the corpus luteum of the ovary
and the placenta.
Estrogen
• Hormones that stimulate the
development of female
secondary sex characteristics
and produces an environment
suitable for fertilization,
implantation, and growth of an
embryo.
Testosterone
• Male sex hormone secreted by
the interstitial cells of the
testes.
Zygote
• Cell produced by the fusion of
an egg and sperm; a fertilized
egg.
Placenta
• Structure that attaches the
fetus to the uterine wall,
providing for delivery of
nutrients to and removal of
wastes from the fetus.
Amniotic Fluid
• Fluid within the amniotic cavity
that surrounds the developing
fetus.
Diseases to Know
Jaundice
• A yellowish skin tone, which
can indicate live malfunction.
Diabetes
• High blood glucose level and
glucose in the urine due to a
deficiency of insulin.
Goiter
• Enlarged thyroid gland due to
an iodine deficiency.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome
• A group of conditions that can
occur in a person whose
mother drank alcohol during
pregnancy.
Diagrams to Know
Divisions of the Body
Cell
Skin
Heart
Brain