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Body Systems: Terms and Functions

Key terms across the eleven organ systems of the human body.

103 cardsGrades 9–12, College, Adult#anatomy#physiology#body-systems

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  • HomeostasisTerm
    Keeping the body's internal conditions stable
  • Integumentary systemTerm
    Skin, hair, nails and glands
  • EpidermisTerm
    Outer layer of skin
  • DermisTerm
    Layer of skin with blood vessels, nerves and glands
  • HypodermisTerm
    Fatty layer beneath the skin
  • MelaninTerm
    Pigment that gives skin its color and absorbs UV
  • Sebaceous glandTerm
    Gland that makes oil (sebum)
  • Sudoriferous glandTerm
    Sweat gland
  • KeratinTerm
    Tough protein in skin, hair and nails
  • Skeletal systemTerm
    Bones, cartilage and joints
  • OsteocyteTerm
    Mature bone cell
  • Compact boneTerm
    Dense outer bone layer
  • Spongy boneTerm
    Porous inner bone containing marrow
  • Red bone marrowTerm
    Tissue that makes blood cells
  • LigamentTerm
    Tissue connecting bone to bone
  • TendonTerm
    Tissue connecting muscle to bone
  • CartilageTerm
    Flexible connective tissue cushioning joints
  • Synovial jointTerm
    Freely movable joint with fluid-filled cavity
  • Muscular systemTerm
    Muscles that produce movement
  • Skeletal muscleTerm
    Voluntary striated muscle attached to bones
  • Smooth muscleTerm
    Involuntary muscle in walls of organs
  • Cardiac muscleTerm
    Involuntary striated muscle of the heart
  • SarcomereTerm
    Basic contractile unit of a muscle fiber
  • Actin and myosinTerm
    Protein filaments that slide past each other to contract muscle
  • Nervous systemTerm
    Brain, spinal cord and nerves
  • NeuronTerm
    Nerve cell
  • SynapseTerm
    Junction where neurons communicate
  • CerebrumTerm
    Largest part of the brain; thinking and voluntary action
  • CerebellumTerm
    Brain part that coordinates balance and movement
  • BrainstemTerm
    Controls breathing, heart rate and basic life functions
  • Autonomic nervous systemTerm
    Controls involuntary actions
  • Reflex arcTerm
    Quick automatic pathway from stimulus to response
  • MyelinTerm
    Fatty coating that speeds nerve signals
  • Endocrine systemTerm
    Glands that release hormones into the blood
  • HormoneTerm
    A chemical messenger
  • Pituitary glandTerm
    Master gland controlling other glands
  • Thyroid glandTerm
    Controls metabolism
  • PancreasTerm
    Makes insulin and digestive enzymes
  • InsulinTerm
    Hormone that lowers blood glucose
  • Adrenal glandTerm
    Makes hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol
  • Cardiovascular systemTerm
    Heart and blood vessels
  • AtriumTerm
    Upper heart chamber that receives blood
  • VentricleTerm
    Lower heart chamber that pumps blood out
  • ArteryTerm
    Vessel carrying blood away from the heart
  • VeinTerm
    Vessel carrying blood toward the heart
  • CapillaryTerm
    Tiny vessel where exchange occurs
  • Systolic pressureTerm
    Pressure when the heart contracts
  • Diastolic pressureTerm
    Pressure when the heart relaxes
  • ErythrocyteTerm
    Red blood cell; carries oxygen
  • LeukocyteTerm
    White blood cell; fights infection
  • ThrombocyteTerm
    Platelet; helps blood clot
  • HemoglobinTerm
    Iron-containing protein that carries oxygen
  • PlasmaTerm
    Liquid part of blood
  • Lymphatic systemTerm
    Vessels and organs that drain fluid and defend against disease
  • Lymph nodeTerm
    Small organ that filters lymph
  • SpleenTerm
    Organ that filters blood and stores platelets
  • ThymusTerm
    Organ where T cells mature
  • Immune systemTerm
    Cells and tissues that defend against pathogens
  • AntibodyTerm
    Protein that recognizes and binds to an antigen
  • AntigenTerm
    A substance that triggers an immune response
  • Respiratory systemTerm
    Organs for gas exchange
  • AlveoliTerm
    Tiny air sacs in the lungs where gases are exchanged
  • DiaphragmTerm
    Muscle under the lungs that drives breathing
  • TracheaTerm
    Windpipe
  • BronchiTerm
    Two main airways into the lungs
  • LarynxTerm
    Voice box
  • Digestive systemTerm
    Organs that break down food and absorb nutrients
  • EsophagusTerm
    Tube from throat to stomach
  • PeristalsisTerm
    Wave-like muscle contractions moving food
  • StomachTerm
    Organ that churns food with acid and enzymes
  • Small intestineTerm
    Main site of nutrient absorption
  • Large intestineTerm
    Absorbs water and forms stool
  • LiverTerm
    Makes bile, processes nutrients and detoxifies
  • GallbladderTerm
    Stores bile
  • VilliTerm
    Finger-like folds that absorb nutrients in the small intestine
  • Urinary systemTerm
    Organs that filter blood and remove liquid waste
  • KidneyTerm
    Filters blood and makes urine
  • NephronTerm
    Filtering unit of the kidney
  • UreterTerm
    Tube from kidney to bladder
  • Urinary bladderTerm
    Stores urine
  • UrethraTerm
    Tube carrying urine out of the body
  • Reproductive systemTerm
    Organs for producing offspring
  • GameteTerm
    A reproductive cell: sperm or egg
  • OvaryTerm
    Female organ that makes eggs
  • TestisTerm
    Male organ that makes sperm
  • UterusTerm
    Organ where a fetus develops
  • ZygoteTerm
    Cell formed when sperm fertilizes an egg
  • FetusTerm
    Developing baby after about eight weeks
  • PlacentaTerm
    Organ that nourishes the fetus
  • Anatomical positionTerm
    Standing upright, facing forward, palms forward
  • Sagittal planeTerm
    Divides the body into left and right
  • Frontal (coronal) planeTerm
    Divides the body into front and back
  • Transverse planeTerm
    Divides the body into top and bottom
  • ProximalTerm
    Closer to the point of attachment
  • DistalTerm
    Farther from the point of attachment
  • SuperiorTerm
    Toward the head
  • InferiorTerm
    Toward the feet
  • AnteriorTerm
    Toward the front
  • PosteriorTerm
    Toward the back
  • MedialTerm
    Toward the midline

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