THE HEART OF THE MATTER
THE MAMMALIAN HEART HAS THIS MANY CHAMBERS.
WHAT IS FOUR?
THESE ORAL STRUCTURES ARE THE ONES MOST RESPONSIBLE FOR THE PHYSICAL OR MECHANICAL DIGESTION OF FOOD, IN WHICH BITE-SIZED MORSELS ARE CHEWED TO INCREASE SURFACE AREA FOR SUBSEQUENT CHEMICAL DIGESTION.
WHAT ARE TEETH?
THIS IS THE TERM FOR THE FLUID PORTION OF THE BLOOD IN WHICH THE CELLS ARE SUSPENDED, IT'S 90% WATER.
WHAT IS PLASMA?
THIS SECRETION ENTERS THE ORAL CAVITY FROM THREE PAIRS OF GLANDS AND HELPS TO LUBRICATE THE FOOD AND TO INITIATE THE DIGESTION OF STARCHES.
WHAT IS SALIVA?
THESE TINY STRUCTURES, ONLY ONE CELL LAYER THICK, ARE THE ACTUAL SITES OF GAS EXCHANGE IN THE RESPIRATORY SYSTEM AND YOU'VE GOT 150 MILLION OF THEM PER LUNG!
WHAT ARE ALVEOLI?
THIS LARGEST ARTERY IN THE BODY TAKES OXYGENATED BLOOD AWAY FROM THE LEFT VENTRICLE TO DELIVER IT TO THE REST OF THE BODY.
WHAT IS THE AORTA?
THE CHEMICAL DIGESTION OF NUTRIENTS IS ACCOMPLISHED BY THE RELEASE OF THESE PROTEIN MOLECULES FROM VARIOUS GLANDS IN THE DIGESTIVE SYSTEM.
WHAT ARE ENZYMES?
IN ADDITION TO ADDING MATERIAL TO THE DUODENUM OF THE SMALL INTESTINE TO HELP WITH CHEMICAL DIGESTION, THIS GLANDULAR ORGAN WILL ALSO SECRETE INSULIN AND GLUCAGON INTO THE BLOODSTREAM TO REGULATE BLOOD-GLUCOSE LEVELS.
WHAT IS THE PANCREAS?
WHAT IS GASTRIC JUICE?
DON'T FEEL SLIGHTED...ALL OXYGEN-POOR BLOOD RETURNING TO THE RIGHT ATRIUM FROM BODY REGIONS BELOW THE HEART WILL ENTER THROUGH THIS LARGE VEIN.
WHAT IS THE INFERIOR VENA CAVA?
UNLIKE ALL OTHER ARTERIES, THIS ARTERY CARRIES OXYGEN-POOR BLOOD FROM THE RIGHT VENTRICLE TO THE LUNGS.
WHAT IS THE PULMONARY ARTERY?
WHAT IS ACIDIC (OR LOW pH)?
THIS IS THE TERM FOR THE INVOLUNTARY, RHYTHMIC, WAVE-LIKE CONTRACTIONS OF SMOOTH MUSCLES THAT MOVE THE FOOD ALONG THE GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT.
WHAT IS PERISTALSIS?
THE GALL BLADDER IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CONCENTRATING, STORING, AND RELEASING THIS SECRETION INTO THE DUODENUM IN ORDER TO EMULSIFY FATS.
WHAT IS BILE?
THIS PROTEIN MOLECULE IN ERYTHROCYTES IS RESPONSIBLE FOR CARRYING OXYGEN THROUGH THE BLOODSTREAM AND A GENETIC MUTATION IN SOME PEOPLE CAN CAUSE IT TO BE MISSHAPEN LEADING TO SICKLE CELL ANEMIA.
WHAT IS HEMOGLOBIN?
THE HEART'S OWN BLOOD SUPPLY...THESE ARTERIES SUPPLY THE HEART MUSCLE ITSELF WITH BLOOD AND A BLOCKAGE OF THEM CAN LEAD TO A HEART ATTACK.
WHAT ARE THE CORONARY ARTERIES?
STARCHES NEED TO BE BROKEN DOWN INTO THESE SIMPLE SUGAR MOLECULES IN ORDER TO BE ABSORBED BY THE SMALL INTESTINE INTO THE BLOODSTREAM.
WHAT ARE MONOSACCHARIDES (SINGLE SUGARS)?
ACCEPTABLE: WHAT IS GLUCOSE?
OH NO! YOU'RE BLEEDING! THANK GOODNESS FOR THESE TINY LITTLE BLOOD CELLS THAT WILL INITIATE THE FORMATION OF A BLOOD CLOT.
WHAT ARE PLATELETS?
THIS PROTECTIVE SECRETION TRAPS DUST AND PARTICULATE MATTER IN THE RESPIRATORY TRACT AND PROTECTS AGAINST PEPTIC ULCERS IN THE STOMACH.
WHAT IS MUCUS?
ALMOST A LARGE, ELEGANT HOME IN THE COUNTRY OR BY THE SEASIDE...THESE FINGER-LIKE PROJECTIONS OF THE SMALL INTESTINE MUCOSA DRAMATICALLY INCREASE THE SURFACE AREA FOR NUTRIENT ABSORPTION.
WHAT ARE VILLI?
ONE OF TWO ALTERNATIVE NAMES FOR THE LEFT AV VALVE, THIS STRUCTURE SEPARATES THE LEFT ATRIUM FROM THE LEFT VENTRICLE.
WHAT IS THE BICUSPID OR MITRAL VALVE?
THESE MOLECULES ARE THE END RESULT OF THE CHEMICAL DIGESTION OF PROTEINS, AND ARE SMALL ENOUGH TO BE ABSORBED INTO THE BLOODSTREAM OF THE SMALL INTESTINE.
WHAT ARE AMINO ACIDS?
THIS STRUCTURE IN THE REGION OF THE THROAT IS A COMMON PASSAGEWAY FOR BOTH INHALED AIR AND FOOD AND DRINK...BETTER SEND THESE ITEMS DOWN THE RIGHT PATH FROM HERE OR THERE WILL POTENTIALLY BE BIG TROUBLE.
WHAT IS THE PHARYNX?
IN ADDITION TO CONTAINING ENZYMES TO DIGEST ALL THREE MACRONUTRIENTS, THIS SECRETION ALSO CONTAINS BICARBONATE IONS IN ORDER TO NEUTRALIZE THE CHYME ENTERING THE DUODENUM FROM THE STOMACH.
WHAT IS PANCREATIC JUICE?
THIS MASS OF MUSCLE AND NERVE CELLS IN THE RIGHT ATRIUM INITIATES THE HEARTBEAT AND MAINTAINS THE REGULAR RHYTHM OF A BEATING HEART...NO WONDER IT'S CALLED A "NATURAL PACEMAKER".
WHAT IS THE SINOATRIAL (SA) NODE?