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Anatomy & Physiology: Introduction, Anatomical Terms, Body Cavities, Cells, and Integumentary System

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  • What is the standard anatomical position?

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

  • What do directional terms describe in anatomy?

    They describe one body structure in relation to another, always based on the standard anatomical position.

  • What is the difference between right and left in anatomical terms?

    Right and left refer to the body being viewed, not the observer's right and left.

  • What is the sagittal plane?

    A vertical plane dividing the body into right and left parts; midsagittal is on the midline, parasagittal is off-center.

  • What does the frontal (coronal) plane divide?

    It divides the body vertically into anterior (front) and posterior (back) parts.

  • What is the transverse (horizontal) plane?

    A plane dividing the body horizontally into superior (top) and inferior (bottom) parts, producing cross sections.

  • What are the two main body cavities?

    Dorsal body cavity and ventral body cavity.

  • What does the dorsal body cavity protect and contain?

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

  • What organs are housed in the ventral body cavity?

    Internal organs called viscera; subdivided into thoracic cavity and abdominopelvic cavity.

  • What are the subdivisions of the thoracic cavity?

    Two pleural cavities (each surrounds a lung), mediastinum (contains pericardial cavity and other thoracic organs), and pericardial cavity (encloses heart).

  • What organs are in the abdominopelvic cavity?

    Abdominal cavity contains stomach, intestines, spleen, liver; pelvic cavity contains urinary bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum.

  • What is the serosa (serous membrane)?

    Thin, double-layered membranes covering surfaces in the ventral body cavity; parietal lines cavity walls, visceral covers organs.

  • What fluid separates the layers of serous membranes?

    Serous fluid, secreted by both parietal and visceral layers, fills the slit-like cavity between them.

  • Name the serous membranes associated with the heart, lungs, and abdominopelvic cavity.

    Pericardium (heart), pleurae (lungs), peritoneum (abdominopelvic cavity).

  • How is the abdominopelvic region divided for medical purposes?

    Into four quadrants: right upper (RUQ), left upper (LUQ), right lower (RLQ), and left lower (LLQ).

  • What are the nine abdominopelvic regions used by anatomists?

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

  • What are the three main layers of the skin?

    Epidermis (keratinized stratified squamous epithelium), dermis (mostly irregular dense connective tissue), hypodermis (subcutaneous layer, mostly adipose tissue).

  • What is the function of the hypodermis?

    Absorbs shock, insulates, and anchors skin to underlying structures like muscles.

  • What are the main components of the integumentary system?

    Skin, hair, nails, sweat glands, and sebaceous (oil) glands.

  • What is the arrector pili muscle responsible for?

    It is a small band of smooth muscle attached to hair follicles that causes 'goose bumps'.

  • What are the three parts of a hair shaft?

    Medulla (central core), cortex (surrounding layers), and cuticle (outer overlapping layer).

  • What is the hair follicle and hair papilla?

    Hair follicle extends from epidermis to dermis surrounding the hair; hair papilla is dermal tissue with capillaries supplying nutrients to growing hair.

  • What are the main parts of a nail?

    Free edge, nail plate, root, nail bed, nail matrix (growth area), nail folds, eponychium (cuticle), hyponychium (under free edge), and lunule (white crescent).

  • Why do nails normally appear pink?

    Because of the underlying capillaries in the nail bed.