Comprehensive Guide to Basic Anatomical and
Physiological Terms
A standard reference position used for describing location and directions on the human body.
✔✔Anatomical Position
The basic unit that makes up all matter. ✔✔Atom
Science that studies the form and composition of the the body's structures. ✔✔Anatomy
Describes a position below or lower than another part of the body proper; near or toward the
tail (in humans, the coccyx, or lowest part of the spinal column); also refer to as inferior
✔✔Caudal
Smallest independently functioning unit of all organisms; in animals, it contains cytoplasm,
composed of fluid and organelles ✔✔Cell
Compares values to their normal range; deviations cause the activation of an effector
✔✔Control Center
Divides the body into dorsal and ventral (back and front, or posterior and anterior) portions;
also referred to as frontal portion ✔✔frontal (coronal) section
Describes a position above or higher than another part of the body proper; also referred to as
superior ✔✔Cranial
Describes a position farther from the surface of the body ✔✔Deep
Changes an organism goes through during its life ✔✔Development
Describes a position farther from the point of attachment or the trunk of the body ✔✔Distal
Posterior body cavity that houses the brain and the spinal cord; also referred to as posterior
body cavity ✔✔Dorsal Body Cavity
Organ that can cause a change in value
- an organ (a gland or muscle) that becomes active in response to nerve impulses ✔✔Effector
Physiological Terms
A standard reference position used for describing location and directions on the human body.
✔✔Anatomical Position
The basic unit that makes up all matter. ✔✔Atom
Science that studies the form and composition of the the body's structures. ✔✔Anatomy
Describes a position below or lower than another part of the body proper; near or toward the
tail (in humans, the coccyx, or lowest part of the spinal column); also refer to as inferior
✔✔Caudal
Smallest independently functioning unit of all organisms; in animals, it contains cytoplasm,
composed of fluid and organelles ✔✔Cell
Compares values to their normal range; deviations cause the activation of an effector
✔✔Control Center
Divides the body into dorsal and ventral (back and front, or posterior and anterior) portions;
also referred to as frontal portion ✔✔frontal (coronal) section
Describes a position above or higher than another part of the body proper; also referred to as
superior ✔✔Cranial
Describes a position farther from the surface of the body ✔✔Deep
Changes an organism goes through during its life ✔✔Development
Describes a position farther from the point of attachment or the trunk of the body ✔✔Distal
Posterior body cavity that houses the brain and the spinal cord; also referred to as posterior
body cavity ✔✔Dorsal Body Cavity
Organ that can cause a change in value
- an organ (a gland or muscle) that becomes active in response to nerve impulses ✔✔Effector
