Directional Anatomy
If a patient has a "midline" incision following heart surgery, the cut was made in this direction—toward the middle of the body
Medial
This organ system, which includes the skin, hair, and nails, serves as the body's first line of defense against the external environment.
Integumentary system
When a patient's blood pressure rises, the body triggers a response to lower it back to a normal range; this most common type of feedback mechanism is known as this
Negative feedback loop
A patient with "Peritonitis" has inflammation of the serous membrane specifically found lining this cavity
Abdominopelvic (or Peritoneal) cavity
These junctions act like "zippers" to create an impermeable barrier between cells, preventing digestive juices from leaking out of the intestines.
Tight junctions
In a clinical report, a fracture located at the wrist would be described as being in this direction relative to the elbow, as it is further from the point of attachment
A patient suffering from a hormone imbalance affecting their growth and metabolism likely has a dysfunction in this system, which utilizes glands to secrete chemical messengers
Endocrine system
A clinician observing the rapid clotting of blood after a wound is seeing this type of loop, where the response actually reinforces or "amplifies" the initial stimulus
Positive feedback loop
This specific layer of a serous membrane is the one that actually touches and covers the external surface of an organ, such as the heart or lungs
Visceral layer
If a cardiac muscle cell needs to pass an electrical signal instantly to its neighbor to coordinate a heartbeat, it uses these tunnel-like protein channels.
Gap junctions
When a nurse describes a wound as being closer to the surface of the skin rather than deep inside the body, they use this directional term
Superficial
While the heart is the central pump, this system is responsible for the rapid transport of oxygen, nutrients, and waste products throughout the body via blood vessels
Cardiovascular system
This component of a feedback loop is responsible for providing data to the control center, such as specialized nerves detecting a change in blood chemical levels.
Receptor
This lubricated, double-layered membrane tissue type is designed to reduce friction between moving organs like the beating heart or expanding lungs.
Serous membrane
While desmosomes link cell to cell, these specific junctions anchor the bottom of an epithelial cell to the underlying basement membrane.
Hemidesmosomes
A physician notes that the patient's lungs are located in this direction relative to the diaphragm, meaning they sit "above" it
Superior
This system not only provides a structural framework and protection for soft organs but also serves as the primary site for blood cell formation
Skeletal system
In the clinical regulation of blood sugar, the pancreas detects high glucose and releases insulin to trigger a change; in this scenario, the pancreas is acting as this component.
Control center
If a surgeon is operating on the brain or the spinal cord, they are working within this overall posterior-facing cavity
Dorsal cavity
This "bottom" surface of epithelial cells is attached to the basement membrane, which acts as a filter and an anchor
Basal surface
Intravenous (IV) lines are often started at the most "distal" available vein in the hand so that if the vein blows, the clinician can move in this direction to try again
Proximal
A clinical specialist treating a patient with a "Retroperitoneal" kidney infection is focusing on this specific organ system responsible for waste filtration
Urinary system
A patient’s body is constantly adjusting to small internal changes to stay within a healthy range; this "balanced" state is clinically known as a state of this.
Dynamic equilibrium
This central region of the thoracic cavity houses the heart, esophagus, and trachea, effectively separating the two lungs
Mediastinum
These junctions use a "plaque" and transmembrane glycoproteins to form a strong "belt" around the cell, helping epithelial surfaces resist separation during stretching.
Adherens junctions