Anatomy - Biology Terms A, B and C

• Alveoli are tiny air sacs in the lungs that facilitate gas exchange.
• Anaphase is a stage of cell division characterized by the movement of chromosomes apart.
• Anthers are the pollen-producing part of a flower.
• The anus is the opening through which waste exits the body.
• The aorta is the body's largest artery, transporting oxygenated blood from the heart.
• Apoptosis is programmed cell death, eliminating unneeded cells.
• Arteries are blood vessels carrying oxygen-rich blood away from the heart.
• Atria are the upper chambers of the heart, receiving blood.

B

• Benign tumors are non-cancerous.
• Blood is the fluid that transports oxygen, nutrients, and waste throughout the body.
• Bronchi are large tubes carrying air from the trachea to the lungs.
• Bronchioles are smaller airways branching from the bronchi within the lungs.

C

• Cancer is a disease involving uncontrolled cell growth.
• Capillaries are the smallest blood vessels, connecting arteries and veins.
• Carcinogens are substances that can cause cancer.
• The cell cycle is the process of cell growth, replication, and division.
• The cell plate is a structure involved in plant cell division.
• Centrioles are structures in animal cells that aid cell division.
• Centromeres are the point where sister chromatids connect.
• Centrosomes organize microtubules during cell division.
• Chemotherapy is a cancer treatment using drugs to kill cancer cells.
• Chromatin is the material composing chromosomes, including DNA.
• Chromosomes, made of DNA, carry genetic information.
• The circulatory system transports blood, oxygen, and nutrients throughout the body.
• The cleavage furrow is the indentation that forms during cell division.
• A concentration gradient represents the difference in concentration of a substance across a space.
• Connective tissue provides support and connection for other tissues.
• Cytokinesis is the final stage of cell division, where the cell splits into two.

D

• The diaphragm is a muscle beneath the lungs that aids in breathing.
• Diffusion is the movement of substances from high to low concentration.
• The digestive system breaks down food into nutrients.
• Differentiation is the process by which cells become specialized.

E

• The endocrine system produces hormones to regulate body functions.
• Epidermal tissue is the outer layer of cells in plants and animals.
• Epithelial tissue covers organs and body surfaces.
• The esophagus carries food from the mouth to the stomach.
• The excretory system removes waste products from the body.

F

• The filament supports the anther in a flower.
• The flower is the reproductive structure of a plant.

G

• G1 phase is the first growth phase of the cell cycle.
• G2 phase is the second growth phase before cell division.
• Ground tissue in plants is involved in storage, support, and photosynthesis.

H

• The heart is the organ responsible for pumping blood.
• Homeostasis is maintaining a stable internal environment.

I

• The integumentary system includes the skin, hair, and nails.
• Interphase is the stage where a cell grows and prepares for division.

K

• Kidneys filter waste from the blood and produce urine.

L

• The large intestine absorbs water and forms waste.
• The larynx, or voice box, produces sound.
• Leaves are the site of photosynthesis in plants.
• The liver filters blood and aids in digestion.
• Lungs facilitate oxygen intake and carbon dioxide release during breathing.

M

• Malignant tumors are cancerous and can spread.
• Meristematic tissue is plant tissue involved in growth.
• Metaphase is a stage in cell division where chromosomes align in the middle of the cell.
• Metastasis is the spread of cancer to other parts of the body.
• Mitosis is cell division that produces two identical cells.
• Muscle tissue facilitates movement.
• Mutation is a change in DNA that can result in altered traits or diseases.

N

• The nervous system controls the body and transmits signals through nerves.
• The nuclear membrane is the outer layer of the nucleus protecting DNA.

O

• An organ is a body part with a specific function.
• An organ system is a group of organs working together.
• Osmosis is the movement of water across a semi-permeable membrane from high to low concentration.

P

• The pancreas produces digestive enzymes and insulin.
• Peristalsis is the muscle movement that propels food through the digestive system.
• The pistil is the female reproductive part of a flower.
• Prophase is the initial stage of mitosis where chromosomes become visible.

R

• Radiation is a cancer treatment using energy to destroy cancer cells.
• The rectum is the final section of the large intestine where waste is stored.
• The respiratory system facilitates breathing and gas exchange.
• Roots absorb water and nutrients from the soil.

S

• A semi-permeable membrane allows certain substances to pass through but not others.
• Sister chromatids are identical copies of a chromosome.
• Skin is the outer protective layer of the body.
• The small intestine absorbs nutrients.
• Spindle fibers move chromosomes during cell division.
• The stamen is the male reproductive part of a flower, producing pollen.
• Stems provide support for plants and transport nutrients.
• Stem cells can differentiate into various cell types.
• The stigma is the sticky part of a flower that captures pollen.
• The stomach breaks down food using acid and enzymes.
• The style connects the stigma to the ovary in a flower.

T

• Telophase is the final stage of mitosis where two new nuclei form.
• Tissue is a group of similar cells performing a specific function.
• The trachea, or windpipe, carries air to the lungs.
• A tumor is an abnormal mass of cells.

V

• Vascular tissue transports water and nutrients in plants.
• Veins are blood vessels that carry blood back to the heart.
• Ventricles are the lower chambers of the heart that pump blood.