Nursing Preparation Study Guide

Nursing Preparation Study Guide

Chapter 6: Human Anatomy & Physiology – Part 1 6.1 General A & P 6.1.1 Anatomy Gross (macroscopic) anatomy focuses on features that are visible without a microscope. This field includes surface anatomy, regional anatomy, and systemic anatomy. In developmental anatomy, we examine the changes in form that occur between conception and physical maturity. Embryology studies the processes that occur during the first eight weeks of development. Clinical anatomy concentrates on the anatomy relevant to the practice ofmedicine. The limits of microscopic anatomy are established by the equipment used. Cytology analyzes the internal structure of individual cells. Histology examines groups of cells that perform specific functions as tissues. Tissues combine to form organs , which are anatomical units with multiple functions. Human physiology is the study of the functions of the human body, and it is based on cell physiology, the study of the functions of cells. Organ physiology studies the physiology of specific organs. Systemic physiology considers all aspects of the functioning of specific organ systems. Pathological anatomy (pathology) studies the effects of diseases on organ or systemfunctions. Cell biology (formerly cytology , from the Greek kytos , “contain”) is the study of cell structure and function. This includes the cell’s physiological properties, life cycle, interactions with the environment, reproduction (division), and death. Part of uncovering these features includes observation at a microscopic and molecular level. Cell biology research involves the study of both single cell organisms, like bacteria and protozoa, in addition to multicellular organisms, such as humans. Research in cell biology is closely related to genetics, biochemistry, molecular biology, immunology, and developmental biology. Cytology is the study of cellular structure and function and is part of cell biology. Most living organisms are eukaryotic and are composed of multiple cells with organelles. Other organisms are prokaryotic, meaning they are simple and single-celled. The human body contains two general classes of cells: sex cells and somatic cells. Sex cells (also called germ cells or reproductive cells) are either the sperm of males or the oocytes of females. Somatic cells (soma means body ) include all the other cells in the human body. The outer boundary of the cell is the plasma membrane , also called the cell membrane or plasmalemma. This extremely thin and delicate membrane contains lipids, proteins, and carbohydrates within its cytoplasm. It deals with physical isolation, chemical regulation, and structural support. Plasma membranes are selectively permeable. Organelles perform most of the tasks that keep a cell alive and functional. The nucleus is usually the largest organelle in a cell. The nucleus serves as the control center for cellular operations. A single nucleus stores all the information needed to direct the synthesis of the more than 100,000 different proteins in the human body.

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