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Anatomy & Physiology: Human Body Overview

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  • What is anatomy?

    Anatomy is the study of the structure of body parts and their relationship to one another.

  • What is physiology?

    Physiology is the study of the function of body parts and how they work to carry out life-sustaining activities.

  • What are the subdivisions of anatomy?

    Gross (macroscopic) anatomy, microscopic anatomy (cytology and histology), and developmental anatomy (including embryology).

  • What are the subdivisions of physiology?

    Organ system physiology (e.g., renal, cardiovascular) and cellular/molecular physiology focusing on chemical reactions in cells.

  • What is the principle of complementarity of structure and function?

    Function always reflects structure; what a structure can do depends on its specific form.

  • List the levels of structural organization in the human body.

    Chemical, cellular, tissue, organ, organ system, and organismal levels.

  • Name the necessary life functions.

    Maintaining boundaries, movement, responsiveness, digestion, metabolism, excretion, reproduction, and growth.

  • What is homeostasis?

    Maintenance of relatively stable internal conditions despite continuous environmental changes; a dynamic state of equilibrium.

  • What are the three components of homeostatic control?

    Receptor (sensor), control center, and effector.

  • Describe negative feedback.

    A response that reduces or shuts off the original stimulus, maintaining homeostasis (e.g., regulation of body temperature).

  • Describe positive feedback.

    A response that enhances or exaggerates the original stimulus, often controlling infrequent events (e.g., blood clotting, labor contractions).

  • What are the two major body divisions?

    Axial (head, neck, trunk) and appendicular (limbs).

  • Name the three most common body planes.

    Sagittal (divides right and left), frontal/coronal (divides front and back), and transverse/horizontal (divides top and bottom).

  • What is the dorsal body cavity and its subdivisions?

    Protects the nervous system; includes the cranial cavity (brain) and vertebral cavity (spinal cord).

  • What is the ventral body cavity and its subdivisions?

    Houses internal organs; includes thoracic cavity and abdominopelvic cavity separated by the diaphragm.

  • What are serous membranes?

    Thin, double-layered membranes in the ventral body cavity; parietal serosa lines cavity walls, visceral serosa covers organs, separated by serous fluid.

  • List the 11 organ systems and one major function of each.

    Integumentary (protection), skeletal (support), muscular (movement), nervous (control), endocrine (hormones), cardiovascular (transport), lymphatic (immunity), respiratory (gas exchange), digestive (food breakdown), urinary (waste elimination), reproductive (offspring production).

  • What are the survival needs of the human body?

    Nutrients, oxygen, water, normal body temperature, and appropriate atmospheric pressure.

  • What is the standard anatomical position?

    Body erect, feet slightly apart, palms facing forward with thumbs pointing away from the body.

  • Define the directional terms 'superior' and 'inferior'.

    Superior: toward the head or upper part; Inferior: away from the head or lower part.

  • Define the directional terms 'anterior' and 'posterior'.

    Anterior (ventral): toward or at the front; Posterior (dorsal): toward or at the back.

  • What is the difference between proximal and distal?

    Proximal: closer to the origin of a limb or attachment point; Distal: farther from the origin or attachment point.

  • What are the four abdominopelvic quadrants?

    Right upper quadrant (RUQ), left upper quadrant (LUQ), right lower quadrant (RLQ), left lower quadrant (LLQ).

  • What are the nine abdominopelvic regions?

    Right hypochondriac, epigastric, left hypochondriac, right lumbar, umbilical, left lumbar, right iliac (inguinal), hypogastric, left iliac (inguinal).