Human organism

• anatomy: body structure, means to dissect
• physiology: processes, functions
• systemic: studies body systems
• regional: studies body regions (medical schools)
• surface: studies external features, e.g., bone projections
• anatomical imaging: using technologies (x-rays, ultrasound, MRI)
• chemical: smallest level, atoms, chemical bonds, molecules
• cellular: cells: basic units of life, compartments and organelles
• tissues: group of cells with similar structure and

  function plus extracellular substances they release
• four broad types of tissues:

  epithelial

  connective

  muscular

  nervous
• organs: two or more tissue types acting together

  to perform function(s)
• organ system: group of organs contributing to some function
• organism: all organ systems working together, includes associated microorganisms

  such as intestinal bacteria
• organization: functional interrelationships between parts
• metabolism: sum of all chemical and physical changes

  sustaining an organism, ability to acquire and use energy in support of

  these changes
• responsiveness: ability to sense and respond to environmental

  changes, includes both internal and external environments 3
• growth: can increase in size, size of cells, groups of cells, extracellular materials
• development: changes in form and size changes in cell structure and function from generalized to specialized - differentiation
• reproduction: formation of new cells or new organisms generation of new individuals tissue repair
• homeostasis: maintenance of constant internal environment
• variables: measures of body properties that may change in value
• set point: normal, or average value of a variable
• normal range: normal extent of increase or decrease around

  a set point
• negative feedback: mechanism that maintains homeostasis
• Components of Negative Feedback

  • receptor
  • control center
  • effector
• receptor: detects changes in variable
• control center: receives receptor signal

  establishes set point, sends signal to effector
• effector: directly causes change in variable
• positive feedback: system response causes progressive deviation away from set point, outside of normal range, not directly used for homeostasis
• anatomical position: person standing erect with face and

  palms forward
• supine: person lying face up
• prone: person lying face down
• superior: above
• inferior: below
• anterior: front (also: ventral)
• posterior: back (also: dorsal)
• medial: close to midline
• lateral: away from midline
• distal: far from point of attachment
• superficial: structure close to the surface