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Estrella Mountain - Anatomy terms Category: Education > Body parts Date & country: 25/03/2011, USA Words: 586

human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)
A peptide hormone secreted by the chorion that prolongs the life of the corpus luteum and prevents the breakdown of the uterine lining.

Huntington disease
A progressive and fatal disorder of the nervous system that develops between the ages of 30 and 50 years; caused by an expansion of a trinucleotide repeat and inherited as a dominant trait.

hydrogen bond
A weak bond between two atoms (one of which is hydrogen) with partial but opposite electrical charges.

hydrophilic
Water-loving. Term applied to polar molecules that can form a hydrogen bond with water.

hydrophobic
Water-fearing.Term applied to nonpolar molecules that cannot bond with water.

hydrophytic leaves
The leaves of plants that grow in water or under conditions of abundant moisture.

hydrosphere
The part of the physical environment that consists of all the liquid and solid water at or near the Earth's surface.

hydrostatic skeleton
Fluid-

hypertension
High blood pressure; blood pressure consistently above 140/90.

hypertonic
A solution having a high concentration of solute.

hypothesis
An idea that can be experimentally tested; an idea with the lowest level of confidence.

hypotonic
A solution having a low concentration of solute.

immovable joint
A joint in which the bones interlock and are held together by

immune system
One of the eleven major body organ systems in vertebrates; defends the internal environment against invading microorganisms and viruses and provides defense against the growth of cancer cells.

immunoglobulins
The

inflammation
A reaction to the invasion of microorganisms through the skin or through the epithelial layers of the respiratory, digestive, or urinary system; characterized by four signs: redness, swelling, heat, and pain.

inflammatory response
The body's reaction to invading infectious microorganisms; includes an increase in blood

ingestive feeders
Animals that ingest food through a mouth.

initiation
The

insulin
A hormone secreted by the pancreas that stimulates the uptake of glucose by body cells. Insulin works antagonistically with glucagon to control blood sugar levels.

integration
The process of combining incoming information; one of the functions of the nervous system.

integument
Something that covers or encloses, e.g., the skin.

integumentary system
The skin and its derivatives (hair, nails, feathers, horns, antlers, and glands), which in multicellular animals protect against invading foreign microorganisms and prevent the loss or exchange of internal

interferons
Proteins released by cells in response to viral infection; activate the synthesis and secretion of antiviral proteins.

interneurons
Neurons that process signals from one or more sensory neurons and relay signals to motor neurons. Aka connector neurons.

interstitial
Being situated within a particular organ or tissue.

interstitial fluid
Fluid surrounding the cells in body tissues; provides a path through which nutrients, gases, and wastes can travel between the capillaries and the cells.

intracellular digestion
A form of digestion in which food is taken into cells by phagocytosis; found in sponges and most protozoa and coelenterates.

intracellular parasites
Viruses that enter a host cell and take over the host's cellular machinery to produce new viral particles.

inversion
A reversal in the order of genes on a chromosome segment.

ion
An atom that has lost or gained electrons from its outer shell and therefore has a positive or negative charge, respectively; symbolized by a superscript plus or minus sign and sometimes a number, e.g., H⁺, Na⁺¹, Cl^-2.

ionic bond
A chemical bond in which atoms of opposite charge are held together by electrostatic attraction.

isotonic
Term applied to two solutions with equal solute concentrations.

isotopes
Atoms with the same atomic number but different numbers of neutrons; indicated by adding the mass number to the element's name, e.g., carbon 12 or ¹²C.

lactose intolerance
A genetic trait characterized by the absence of the enzyme lactase, which breaks down lactose, the main sugar in milk and other dairy products.

Langerhans' cells
Epidermal cells that participate in the in

large intestine
Consists of the cecum, appendix, colon, and rectum; absorbs some nutrients, but mainly prepares feces for elimination.

larva
A stage in the development of many insects and other organisms including sea urchins and sponges. In sponges, sexual reproduction results in the production of motile ciliated larvae.

larynx
A hollow structure at the beginning of the trachea. The vocal cords extend across the opening of the larynx.

latitudinal diversity gradient
The decrease in species richness that occurs as one moves away from the equator.

latitudinal gradient
As latitude increases, a gradient of cooler, drier conditions occurs.

leaves
The site of photosynthesis; one of the three major organs in plants.

leukocytes
White blood cells; primarily engaged in fighting infection.

lichens
Autotrophic organisms composed of a fungus (sac or club fungus) and a photosynthetic unicellular organism (e.g., a cyanobacterium or alga) in a symbiotic relationship; are resistant to extremes of cold and drought and can grow in marginal areas such as Arctic tundra.

life history
The age at sexual maturity, age at death, and age at other events in an individual's lifetime that in

ligaments
Dense parallel bundles of connective tissue that strengthen joints and hold the bones in place.

lignin
A polymer in the secondary cell wall of woody plant cells that helps to strengthen and stiffen the wall; related term lignified.

linkage
The condition in which the inheritance of a specific chromosome is coupled with that of a given gene. The genes stay together during meiosis and end up in the same gamete.

lipases
Enzymes secreted by the pancreas that are active in the digestion of fats.

lithosphere
The solid outer layer of the Earth; includes both the land area and the land beneath the oceans and other water bodies.

lobe-finned
Fish with muscular fins containing large jointed bones that attach to the body; one of the two main types of bony fish.

logistic growth model
A model of population growth in which the population initially grows at an exponential rate until it is limited by some factor; then, the population enters a slower growth phase and eventually stabilizes.

long-day plants
Plants that

loop of Henle
A U-shaped loop between the proximal and distal tubules in the kidney.

lungfish
A type of lobe-finned fish that breathe by a modified swim bladder (or lung) as well as by gills.

lungs
Sac-like structures of varying complexity where blood and air exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide; connected to the outside by a series of tubes and a small opening. In humans, the lungs are situated in the thoracic cavity and consist of the internal airways, the alveoli, the pulmonary circulatory vessels, and elastic connective tissues.

luteinizing hormone (LH)
A hormone secreted by the anterior pituitary gland that stimulates the secretion of testosterone in men and estrogen in women.

lymph
Interstitial

lymph hearts
Contractile enlargements of vessels that pump lymph back into the veins; found in fish, amphibians, and reptiles.

lymphatic system
A network of glands and vessels that drain interstitial

lymphocytes
White blood cells that arise in the bone marrow and mediate the immune response; include T cells and B cells.

lysosomes
Membrane-enclosed organelles containing digestive enzymes. The lysosomes fuse with food vacuoles and enzymes contained within the lysosome chemically breakdown and/or digest the food vacuole's contents.

macroevolution
The combination of events associated with the origin, diversification, extinction, and interactions of organisms which produced the species that currently inhabit the Earth. Large scale evolutionary change such as the evolution of new species (or even higher taxa) and extinction of species.

macromolecules
Large molecules made up of many small organic molecules that are often referred to as monomers; e.g., carbohydrates, lipids, proteins, and nucleic acids. Macromolecules are polymers of monomers.

mantle
In mollusks, a membranous or muscular structure that surrounds the visceral mass and secretes a shell if one is present.

marine biome
The aquatic biome consisting of waters containing 3.5% salt on average; includes the oceans and covers more than 70% of the Earth's surface; divided into benthic and pelagic zones.

marsupials
Pouched mammals. The young develop internally, but are born while in an embryonic state and remain in a pouch on the mother's abdomen until development is complete; this group includes kangaroos, koalas, and opossums. One of the three reproductive "strategies" of living mammals g-laying and placental being the other two), marsupials finish developm...

mass extinction
A time during which extinction rates are generally accelerated so that more than 50% of all species then living become extinct; results in a marked decrease in the diversity of organisms. Mass extinctions are thought to have occurred numerous times in Earth history, often from a variety of reasons: impacts, tectonism, changes in primary productivit...

mast cells
Cells that synthesize and release histamine, as during an allergic response; found most often in connective tissue surrounding blood vessels.

matter
Anything that has mass and occupies space.

matter cycling
The

maximum sustainable yield (MSY)
The maximum number of a food or game population that can be harvested without harming the population's ability to grow back.

medulla
1. A term referring to the central portion of certain organs; e.g., the medulla oblongata of the brain and the adrenal medulla, which synthesizes epinephrine and norepinephrine. 2. In more common usage, the area in the brain that regulates breathing, heartbeat, blood pressure and similar activities.

megakarocytes
Cells found in the bone marrow that produce platelets.

Meissner's corpuscles
Sensory receptors concentrated in the epidermis of the fingers and lips that make these areas very sensitive to touch.

melanin
A pigment that gives the skin color and protects the underlying layers against damage by ultraviolet light; produced by melanocytes in the inner layer of the epidermis.

melanocytes
The cells in the inner layer of the epidermis that produce melanin.

membrane-attack complex (MAC)
A large cylindrical multiprotein complex formed by the complement system; kills invading microorganisms by embedding in their plasma membrane, creating a pore through which

menstrual cycle
The recurring secretion of hormones and associated uterine tissue changes; typically 28 days in length. PICTURE

mesoderm
The middle layer of cells in embryonic development; gives rise to muscles, bones, and structures associated with reproduction. The middle embryonic tissue layer. Cells and structures arising from the mesoderm include the bone, blood, muscle, skin, and reproductive organs.

mesoglea
A gel-like matrix that occurs between the outer and inner epithelial layers in cnidarians.

mesophytic leaves
The leaves of plants that grow under moderately humid conditions with abundant soil and water.

Mesozoic Era
The period of geologic time beginning 245 million years ago and ending 65 million years ago; the age of the dinosaurs and cycads, the Mesozoic falls between the Paleozoic and Cenozoic Eras and includes the Triassic, Jurassic, and Cretaceous Periods.

metabolism
The sum of all chemical reactions (energy exchanges) in cells.

metamorphosis
The process of changing from one form to another; e.g., in insects, from the larval stage to the pupal stage to the reproductive adult stage.

metaphase
The stage of eukaryotic cell division (mitosis or meiosis) in which the chromosomes line up at the equator of the cell. PICTURE

metastasis
The process in which cancer cells break away from the original tumor mass and establish new tumor sites elsewhere in the body.

microevolution
A small-scale evolutionary event such as the formation of a species from a preexisting one or the divergence of reproductively isolated populations into new species.

micronutrients
Elements that are required by plants in very small quantities, but are toxic in large quantities: iron, manganese, molybdenum, copper, boron, zinc, and chloride.

microspores
Four haploid cells produced by the meiotic division in the pollen sacs of

mineralocorticoids
A group of steroid hormones produced by the adrenal cortex that are important in maintaining electrolyte balance.

minimum viable population (MVP)
The smallest population size that can avoid extinction due to breeding problems or random environmental

mitosis
The division of the cell's nucleus and nuclear material of a cell; consists of four stages: prophase, metaphase, anaphase, and telophase. Cell xeroxing. Mitosis occurs only in eukaryotes. The DNA of the cell is replicated during interphase of the cell cycle and then segregated during the four phases of mitosis.

molecules
Units of two or more atoms held together by chemical bonds. The combination of atoms by chemical bonds with the component atoms in definite porportions, such as water (two H to one O).

monoculture
The growth of only one species in a given area; such as a cornfield or other agricultural field.

monocytes
White blood cells that clean up dead viruses, bacteria, and fungi and dispose of dead cells and debris at the end of the in

monohybrid cross
In genetics, a cross that involves only one characteristic. PICTURE

monotremes
Egg-laying mammals; e.g., the spiny anteater and the duck-billed platypus.

morph
A distinct phenotypic variant within a population.

morphological convergence
The evolution of basically dissimilar structures to serve a common function. For example: the wings of birds and insects.