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Unit 1 is new this year, make sure you can answer the essential questions. Understandings 1.1
1. Principles of biomedical science can be used to investigate the circumstances surrounding a mysterious death.
2. Experiments are designed to find answers to testable questions.
Essential Questions 1.1
1. What can be done at a scene of a mysterious death to help reconstruct what happened?
2. How do the clues found at a scene of a mysterious death help investigators determine what might have occurred and help identify or exonerate potential suspects?
3. How do scientists design experiments to find the most accurate answer to the question they are asking?
4. How are bloodstain patterns left at a crime scene used to help investigators establish the events that took place during a crime?
Understandings 1.2
1. Human DNA is a unique code of over three billion base pairs that provides a genetic blueprint of an individual.
2. DNA is packaged as chromosomes, which each contain numerous genes, or segments of DNA sequence that code for traits.
3. DNA from all living organisms has the same basic structure – the differences are in the sequences of the nucleotides.
4. Restriction enzymes recognize and cut specific sequences in DNA.
5. Gel electrophoresis separates DNA fragments based on size and is used in Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis.
Essential Questions 1.2
1. What is DNA?
2. How do scientists isolate DNA in order to study it?
3. How does DNA differ from person to person?
4. How can tools of molecular biology be used to compare the DNA of two individuals?
5. What are restriction enzymes?
6. What are restriction fragment length polymorphisms?
7. What is gel electrophoresis and how can the results of this technique be interpreted?
Understandings 1.3
1. The purpose of an autopsy is to answer any questions about the illness, cause of death, and/or any co-existing conditions.
2. Determining the manner of death involves the investigation of many aspects, including the medical condition of the victim, the internal and external examination of the body, the chemical and microscopic analysis of tissues and body fluids, and the analysis of all evidence found at the scene.
3. A comprehensive set of standards and practices is necessary in order to give patients specific rights regarding their personal health information.
Essential Questions 1.3
1. What is an autopsy and how can it be used to determine the cause of death?
2. How can the manner of death be determined?
3. Why is confidentiality of patient information important?
4. Who should keep patient information confidential?
5. Is there ever a time when patient confidentiality should be broken?
6. What biomedical science professionals are involved in crime scene analysis and determination of manner of death?
Understandings 2.1
1. Diabetes is a disorder characterized by high blood glucose levels and is caused by insufficient insulin or the inability of the insulin to function properly.
2. Diabetes can be diagnosed and further characterized as Type 1 or Type 2 by measuring glucose and insulin levels in the blood or urine.
3. The human body uses feedback mechanisms to maintain homeostasis.
4. It is important to evaluate a source of information to ensure the information is accurate and unbiased.
Essential Questions 2.1
1. What is diabetes?
2. How is glucose tolerance testing used to diagnose diabetes?
3. How does the development of Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes relate to how the body produces and uses insulin?
4. What is the relationship between insulin and glucose?
5. How does insulin assist with the movement of glucose into body cells?
6. What is homeostasis?
7. What does feedback refer to in the human body?
8. How does the body regulate the level of blood glucose?
Understandings 2.2
1. Foods contain macromolecules, particularly carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins, which are broken down and reassembled for use in the human body.
2. The human body utilizes nutrients, vitamins, and minerals consumed in food to maintain overall health and homeostasis.
Energy is stored in the chemical bonds of the macromolecules found in food
Essential Questions 2.2
3. What are the main nutrients found in food?
4. How can carbohydrates, lipids, and proteins be detected in foods?
5. What types of foods supply sugar, starch, proteins and lipids?
6. How can food labels be used to evaluate dietary choices?
7. What role do basic nutrients play in the function of the human body?
8. What are basic recommendations for a diabetic diet?
9. What are the main structural components of carbohydrates, proteins and lipids?
10. What is dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis?
11. How do dehydration synthesis and hydrolysis relate to harnessing energy from food?
12. How is the amount of energy in a food determined?
Understandings 2.3
1. Diabetes affects the overall health of the individual as well as aspects of daily life.
2. Blood glucose concentration affects osmosis, the movement of water in and out of body cells.
3. Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes can cause significant complications in many human body systems.
4. Scientists need to make sure that what they present is accurate and is communicated in a way that keeps interest and focus.
Essential Questions 2.3
1. What are several ways the life of someone with diabetes is impacted by the disorder?
2. How do the terms hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia relate to diabetes?
3. What might happen to cells that are exposed to high concentrations of sugar?
4. How do Type I and Type II diabetes differ?
5. What are the current treatments for Type I and Type II diabetes?
6. What is the importance of checking blood sugar levels for a diabetic?
7. How can an insulin pump help a diabetic?
8. What are potential short and long term complications of diabetes?
9. What innovations are available to help diabetics manage and treat their disease?
Understandings 3.1
1. Sickle cell disease is caused by an abnormal type of hemoglobin which causes red blood cells to become shaped like crescents or sickles.
2. Sickle cell disease and anemia cause many health problems and affect daily life for someone with the disease.
Essential Questions 3.1
1. What is sickle cell disease?
2. Why does the sickling of red blood cells cause health problems?
3. What is sickle cell anemia?
4. How is anemia diagnosed?
5. How does sickle cell disease affect daily life?
Understandings 3.2
1. Proteins are produced through the processes of transcription and translation.
2. Changes in the genetic material may cause changes in the structure and function of a protein and consequently the traits of an organism.
Essential Questions 3.2
1. What is the DNA code?
2. What is the connection between genes and proteins?
3. How are proteins produced in a cell?
4. How does the sequence of nucleotides in DNA determine the sequence of amino acids in a protein?
5. What is a mutation?
6. What determines the shape of a protein?
7. Is the shape of a protein affected by its surrounding environment?
8. How does a change in the DNA code affect the shape of a protein?
9. Can changing just one nucleotide in a gene change the shape of a protein?
Understandings 3.3
1. Chromosomes transfer genetic material from cell to cell as well as from generation to generation, in processes called mitosis and meiosis.
2. There are often several forms of each gene, some being dominant over the others.
Essential Questions 3.3
1. How is DNA passed to new cells during cell division?
2. What is a chromosome?
3. How are traits passed through the generations?
Understandings 3.4
1. The expression of a trait through the generations of a family can be visualized using a pedigree.
2. A Punnett square is a simple graphical way of discovering all of the potential combinations of genotypes of an offspring and can be used to determine the percent chance of each genotype occurring.
Essential Questions 3.4
1. How are pedigrees used to track diseases?
2. Why does sickle cell disease run in families, yet is not present in every generation?
3. How can doctors and genetic counselors calculate the probability of a child inheriting a disease?
Understandings 4.1
1. The human heart is a four-chambered muscular pump designed to provide the force needed to transport blood through all the tissues of the body.
2. The heart’s pulmonary circuit pumps blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen, while the systemic circuit pumps oxygenated blood out to the tissues of the body.
3. The structure of blood vessels relates to their overall function.
Essential Questions 4.1
4. What are the structures that make up the human heart and how are they organized?
5. How do the heart and lungs work together to pick up and deliver oxygen to the cells?
6. What is the pathway that blood takes as it passes through the heart?
7. What is the function of valves in the heart?
8. How does the structure of arteries and veins relate to their functions?
Understandings 4.2
1. Heart rate, EKG, and blood pressure measurements are indicators of a person’s overall cardiac health.
2. Experiments are designed to find answers to testable questions.
Essential Questions 4.2
3. In what ways can technology be used to collect and analyze cardiovascular data?
4. Why is it important to monitor the rate at which the heart beats?
5. What factors can influence heart rate?
6. What is blood pressure?
7. How do systolic and diastolic blood pressure values relate to the movement of blood in arteries?
8. What factors can influence blood pressure?
9. What is an EKG?
10. How can an EKG be used in the diagnosis and treatment of heart disease?
Understandings 4.3
1. Cholesterol is a lipid that is necessary for the proper functioning of cells and for maintaining a healthy body.
2. The measurement of HDL an LDL complexes may indicate a person’s risk for heart disease.
3. Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) analysis can be used to diagnose genetic disease and disorders.
4. The human heart pumps blood around the body, and the efficiency of this pump is affected by the rate at which blood can move through the vessels.
Essential Questions 4.3
5. What is cholesterol?
6. What roles does cholesterol play in our cells and in the body?
7. What are LDL and HDL?
8. How are LDL, HDL, and cholesterol related to heart disease?
9. How do doctors interpret the results of a cholesterol test?
10. What is familial hypercholesterolemia and how is it inherited?
11. How can techniques of molecular biology be used to analyze DNA for the presence of the FH mutation?
12. What lifestyle changes may help a patient obtain healthy cholesterol levels?
13. What are the pros and cons of using cholesterol lowering medications?
14. How does the heart work as a pump?
15. What is atherosclerosis?
16. How can cholesterol plaques affect the overall function of the heart?
Understandings 4.4
1. A blocked coronary artery can lead to tissue death causing a myocardial infarction, or heart attack.
2. Risk factors such as genetics, poor diet, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, diabetes, and smoking increase a person’s risk of developing heart disease.
Essential Questions 4.4
1. What is heart disease?
2. What happens inside the heart to cause a heart attack?
3. How do doctors treat a blocked blood vessel?
4. What are risk factors for the development of heart disease?
5. How can a person decrease his or her risk of heart disease?
6. What is metabolic syndrome?
Understandings 5.1
1. Infectious diseases are caused by infectious agents and are transmitted in a variety of manners.
2. Aseptic technique assures that contaminants are not introduced into a specimen and that infectious agents are not spread to people or laboratory surfaces.
3. Bacteria are characterized by their shape, colony morphology, metabolism, and reaction to the Gram stain.
4. The specific structures of the immune system function to protect the human body against foreign invaders.
Essential Questions 5.1
1. How are infectious diseases spread through a population?
2. What is aseptic technique?
3. How can an unknown sample of bacteria be identified?
4. How does the immune system function to protect the human body from foreign invaders?
Understandings 6.1
1. The human body is composed of multiple body systems working together to maintain good health.
2. Scientists need to make sure that what they present is accurate and is communicated in a way that keeps interest and focus.
3. Determining the cause of death involves the investigation of many aspects of the medical condition of a victim, the internal and external examination of the body, and the chemical and microscopic analysis of tissues and body fluids.
Essential Questions 6.1
1. What are examples of human body systems?
2. What organs make up the different body systems?
3. How do the different body systems interact to maintain good health?
4. What might be the consequence of malfunctions in any of the body systems?
5. How can prevention measures and medical interventions prolong life?
Key Terms:
Biomedical
Science
The application of the principles of the natural sciences, especially biology
and physiology, to clinical medicine.
Control Group The group in an experiment where the independent variable being tested is
not applied so that it may serve as a standard for comparison against the
experimental group where the independent variable is applied.
Dependent
Variable
The measurable effect, outcome, or response in which the research is
interested.
Experiment A research study conducted to determine the effect that one variable has
upon another variable.
Forensic Science The application of scientific knowledge to questions of civil and criminal law.
Hypothesis Clear prediction of the anticipated results of an experiment.
Independent
Variable
The variable that is varied or manipulated by the researcher.
Negative Control Control group where conditions produce a negative outcome. Negative
control groups help identify outside influences which may be present that
were not accounted for when the procedure was created.
Personal
Protective
Equipment
Specialized clothing or equipment, worn by an employee for protection
against infectious materials (as defined by OSHA).
Positive Control Group expected to have a positive result, allowing the researcher to show
that the experimental set up was capable of producing results.
Adenine A component of nucleic acids, energy-carrying molecules such as ATP, and
certain coenzymes. Chemically, it is a purine base.
Chromosome Any of the usually linear bodies in the cell nucleus that contain the genetic
material.
Cytosine A component of nucleic acids that carries hereditary information in DNA and
RNA in cells. Chemically, it is a pyrimidine base.
Deoxyribonucleic
Acid (DNA)
A double-stranded, helical nucleic acid molecule capable of replicating and
determining the inherited structure of a cell’s proteins.
Gel The separation of nucleic acids or proteins, on the basis of their size and
Electrophoresis electrical charge, by measuring their rate of movement through an electrical
field in a gel.
Gene A discrete unit of hereditary information consisting of a specific nucleotide
sequence in DNA (or RNA, in some viruses).
Guanine A component of nucleic acids that carries hereditary information in DNA and
RNA in cells. Chemically, it is a purine base.
Helix Something spiral in form.
Model A simplified version of something complex used, for example, to analyze and
solve problems or make predictions.
Nucleotide A building block of DNA, consisting of a five-carbon sugar covalently bonded
to a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.
Restriction
Enzyme
A degradative enzyme that recognizes specific nucleotide sequences and cuts
up DNA.
Restriction Fragment
Length Polymorphisms
(RFLPs)
Differences in DNA sequence on homologous chromosomes that can result in
different patterns of restriction fragment lengths (DNA segments resulting
from treatment with restriction enzymes).
Thymine A component of nucleic acid that carries hereditary information in DNA in
cells. Chemically, it is a pyrimidine base.
Autopsy An examination of the body after death usually with such dissection as will
expose the vital organs for determining the cause of death.
Bibliography A document showing all the sources used to research information.
Citation A written reference to a specific work (book, article, dissertation, report,
musical composition, etc.) by a particular author or creator which identifies
the document in which the work may be found.
Documentation The act of creating citations to identify resources used in writing a work.
Health Insurance
Portability and
Accountability Act
(HIPAA)
A comprehensive set of standards and practices designed to give patients
specific rights regarding their personal health information.
Medical Examiner A physician who performs an autopsy when death may be accidental or
violent. He or she may also serve in some jurisdictions as the coroner.
Glucagon A protein hormone secreted by pancreatic endocrine cells that raises blood
glucose levels; an antagonistic hormone to insulin.
Glucose Tolerance
Test
A test of the body’s ability to metabolize glucose that involves the
administration of a measured dose of glucose to the fasting stomach and the
determination of blood glucose levels in the blood or urine at intervals
thereafter and that is used especially to detect diabetes.
Homeostasis The maintenance of relatively stable internal physiological conditions (as
body temperature or the pH of blood) in higher animals under fluctuating
environmental conditions.
Hormone A product of living cells that circulates in blood and produces a specific, often
stimulatory, effect on the activity of cells that are often far from the source
of the hormone.
Insulin A protein hormone secreted by the pancreas that is essential for the
metabolism of carbohydrates and the regulation of glucose levels in the
blood.
Negative
Feedback
A primary mechanism of homeostasis, whereby a change in a physiological
variable that is being monitored triggers a response that counteracts the
initial fluctuation.
Positive Feedback Feedback that tends to magnify a process or increase its output.
Type 1 Diabetes Diabetes of a form that usually develops during childhood or adolescence
and is characterized by a severe deficiency of insulin, leading to high blood
glucose levels.
Type 2 Diabetes Diabetes of a form that develops especially in adults and most often obese
individuals and that is characterized by high blood glucose resulting from
impaired insulin utilization coupled with the body’s inability to compensate
with increased insulin production.
Adenosine tri-
phosphate (ATP)
A compound composed of adenosine and three phosphate groups that
supplies energy for many biochemical cellular processes by undergoing
enzymatic hydrolysis.
Amino Acid An organic monomer which serves as a building block of proteins.
Calorie The amount of heat energy required to raise the temperature of 1 g of water
by 1°C; also the amount of heat energy that 1 g of water releases when it
cools by 1°C. The Calorie (with a capital C), usually used to indicate the
energy content of food, is a kilocalorie.
Carbohydrate A sugar in the form of a monosaccharide, disaccharide or polysaccharide.
Chemical Bond An attractive force that holds together the atoms, ions, or groups of atoms in
a molecule or compound.
Chemical Indicator A substance (as a dye) used to show visually usually by its capacity for color
change, the condition of a solution with respect to the presence of free aci d
or alkali or some other substance.
Chemical Reaction Chemical transformation or change; the interaction of chemical entities.
Compound A substance consisting of two or more elements in a fixed ratio.
Covalent bond A type of strong chemical bond in which two atoms share one or more pairs
of valence electrons.
Dehydration
Synthesis
A chemical reaction in which two molecules are bonded together with the
removal of a water molecule.
Disaccharide A double sugar molecule made of two monosaccharides bonded together
through dehydration synthesis.
Element The smallest particle of a substance that retains all the properties of the
substance and is composed of one or more atoms.
Glucose A monomer of carbohydrate, simple sugar.
Homeostasis The maintenance of relatively stable internal physiological conditions (as
body temperature or the pH of blood) in higher animals under fluctuating
environmental conditions.
Hydrolysis A chemical process that splits a molecule by adding water.
Ionic bond A chemical bond resulting from the attraction between oppositely charged
ions.
Lipid One of a family of compounds including fats, phospholipids, and steroids that
is insoluble in water.
Macromolecule A type of giant molecule formed by joining smaller molecules which includes
proteins, polysaccharides, lipids, and nucleic acids.
Molecule Two or more atoms held together by covalent bonds.
Monomer The subunit that serves as the building block of a polymer.
Monosaccharide A single sugar molecule such as glucose or fructose, the simplest type of
sugar.
Nutrient A substance that is needed by the body to maintain life and health.
Polymer A large molecule consisting of many repeating chemical units or molecules
linked together.
Polysaccharide A polymer of thousands of simple sugars formed by dehydration synthesis.
Protein A three dimensional polymer made of monomers of amino acids.
Hemoglobin A1c A test that measures the level of hemoglobin A1c in the blood as a means of
determining the average blood sugar concentrations for the preceding two to
three months.
Hyperglycemia An excess of sugar in the blood.
Hypertonic In comparing two solutions, referring to the one with a greater solute
concentration.
Hypoglycemia Abnormal decrease of sugar in the blood.
Hypotonic In comparing two solutions, referring to the one with a lower solute
concentration.
Isotonic Having the same solute concentration as another solution.
Osmosis The movement of water across a selectively permeable membrane from an
area of higher concentration to an area of lower concentration.
Solute A substance that is dissolved in a solution.
Solution A liquid that is a homogeneous mixture of two or more substances.
Solvent The dissolving agent of a solution. Water is the most versatile solvent known.
Anemia A condition in which the blood is deficient in red blood cells, in hemoglobin,
or in total volume.
Blood Plasma The pale yellow fluid portion of whole blood that consists of water and its
dissolved constituents including, sugars, lipids, metabolic waste products,
amino acids, hormones, and vitamins.
Erythrocytes (Red
Blood Cells)
Any of the hemoglobin-containing cells that carry oxygen to the tissues and
are responsible for the red color of vertebrate blood.
Hematocrit The percent of the volume of whole blood that is composed of red blood cells
as determined by separation of red blood cells from the plasma usually by
centrifugation.
Leukocytes (White
Blood Cells)
Any of the blood cells that are colorless, lack hemoglobin, contain a nucleus,
and include the lymphocytes, monocytes, neutrophils, eosinophils, and
basophils.
Sickle Cell
Disease
Individuals who are homozygous for the gene controlling hemoglobin S. The
disease is characterized by the destruction of red blood cells and by episodic
blocking of blood vessels by the adherence of sickle cells to the vascular
endothelium.
Thrombocytes
(Platelets)
A minute colorless anucleate disklike body of mammalian blood that assists
in blood clotting by adhering to other platelets and to damaged epithelium.
Amino Acid An organic monomer which serves as a building block of proteins.
Anticodon A triplet of nucleotide bases in transfer RNA that identifies the amino acid
carried and binds to a complementary codon in messenger RNA during
protein synthesis at a ribosome.
Codon A three-nucleotide sequence of DNA or mRNA that specifies a particular
amino acid or termination signal; the basic unit of the genetic code.
Hydrophilic Having an affinity for water.
Hydrophobic Having an aversion to water; tending to coalesce and form droplets in water.
Messenger RNA
(mRNA)
A type of RNA, synthesized from DNA and attached to ribosomes in the
cytoplasm; it specifies the primary structure of a protein.
Mutation A rare change in the DNA of a gene, ultimately creating genetic diversity.
Nucleotide The building block of a nucleic acid, consisting of a five-carbon sugar
covalently bonded to a nitrogenous base and a phosphate group.
Protein A three dimensional polymer made of monomers of amino acids.
Protein Synthesis The creation of a protein from a DNA template.
Ribonucleic Acid
(RNA)
A type of nucleic acid consisting of nucleotide monomers with a ribose sugar
and the nitrogenous bases adenine (A), cytosine (C), guanine (G), and uracil
(U); usually single-stranded; functions in protein synthesis and as the genome
of some viruses.
Ribosome A cell organelle that functions as the site of protein synthesis in the
cytoplasm; consists of ribosomal RNA and protein molecules and is formed
by combining two subunits.
Transcription The synthesis of RNA on a DNA template.
Transfer RNA
(tRNA)
An RNA molecule that functions as an interpreter between nucleic acid and
protein language by picking up specific amino acids and recognizing the
appropriate codons in the mRNA.
Translation The synthesis of a polypeptide using the genetic information encoded in an
mRNA molecule. There is a change of language from nucleotides to amino
acids.
Allele Any of the alternative forms of a gene that may occur at a given locus.
Autosome A chromosome that is not directly involved in determining sex, as opposed to
a sex chromosome.
Chromosome
Any of the usually linear bodies in the cell nucleus that contain the genetic
material.
Dominant trait A genetic trait is considered dominant if it is expressed in a person who has
only one copy of the gene associated with the trait.
Gene A discrete unit of hereditary information.
Genetic Material Molecules responsible for heredity and variation of organisms.
Genotype All or part of the genetic constitution of an individual or group.
Heredity The transmission of traits from ancestor to descendant.
Homologous
Chromosomes
Chromosomes having the same or allelic genes with genetic loci usually
arranged in the same order.
Karyotype A display of the chromosome pairs of a cell arranged by size and shape.
Meiosis The cellular process that results in the number of chromosomes in gamete -
producing cells being reduced to one half and that involves a reduction
division in which one of each pair of homologous chromosomes passes to
each daughter cell.
Mitosis A process that takes place in the nucleus of a dividing cell, involves a series of
steps, and results in the formation of two new nuclei each having the same
number of chromosomes as the parent nucleus.
Mutation A rare change in the genetic material, ultimately creating genetic diversity.
Pedigree A diagram of a family tree showing the occurrence of heritable characteristics
in parents and offspring over multiple generations.
Phenotype The observable properties of an organism that are produced by the
interaction of the genotype and the environment.
Recessive Trait A condition that appears only in individuals who have received two copies of
a mutant gene, one copy from each parent.
Sex Chromosome One of the pair of chromosomes responsible for determining the sex of an
individual.
Allele Any of the alternative forms of a gene that may occur at a given locus.
Chromosome
Any of the usually linear bodies in the cell nucleus that contain the genetic
material.
Dominant Trait A genetic trait is considered dominant if it is expressed in a person who has
only one copy of the gene associated with the trait.
Gene A discrete unit of hereditary information.
Genotype All or part of the genetic constitution of an individual or group.
Heredity The transmission of traits from ancestor to descendant.
Pedigree A diagram of a family tree showing the occurrence of heritable characters in
parents and offspring over multiple generations.
Phenotype The observable properties of an organism that are produced by the
interaction of the genotype and the environment.
Punnett Square A simple graphical way of discovering all of the potential combinations of
genotypes of an offspring, given the parents’ genotypes.
Recessive Trait A condition that appears only in individuals who have received two copies of
a mutant gene, one copy from each parent.
Aorta The large arterial trunk that carries blood from the heart to be distributed by
branch arteries through the body.
Aortic Valve The semilunar valve separating the aorta from the left ventricle that prevents
blood from flowing back into the left ventricle.
Artery Any of the tubular branching muscular and elastic-walled vessels that carry
blood from the heart through the body.
Atrium An anatomical cavity or passage; especially a chamber of the heart that
receives blood from the veins and forces it into a ventricle or ventricles.
Cardiovascular
System
The transport system of the body responsible for carrying oxygen and
nutrients to the body and carrying away carbon dioxide and other wastes;
composed of the heart, blood vessels, and blood.
Cell The smallest structural unit of living matter capable of functioning
independently.
Inferior Vena Cava A vein that is the largest vein in the human body and returns blood to the
right atrium of the heart from bodily parts below the diaphragm.
Mitral Valve A valve in the heart that guards the opening between the left atrium and the
left ventricle; prevents the blood in the ventricle from returning to the
atrium. Alternative name is bicuspid valve.
Pulmonary
Circulation
The passage of venous blood from the right atrium of the heart through the
right ventricle and pulmonary arteries to the lungs where it is oxygenated
and its return via the pulmonary veins to enter the left atrium and participate
in systemic circulation.
Superior Vena
Cava
A vein that is the second largest vein in the human body and returns blood to
the right atrium of the heart from the upper half of the body.
Systemic
Circulation
The branch of the circulatory system that supplies all body organs and then
returns oxygen-poor blood to the right atrium via the veins.
Tissue An integrated group of cells with a common function, structure, or both.
Tricuspid Valve A valve that is situated at the opening of the right atrium of the heart into
the right ventricle and that resembles the mitral valve in structure but
consists of three triangular membranous flaps.
Valve A body structure that temporarily closes a passage or orifice, or permits
movement of fluid in only one direction.
Vein A vessel that returns blood to the heart.
Atrioventricular Node A specialized mass of conducting cells located at the atrioventricular
junction in the heart.
Blood Pressure Pressure exerted by the blood upon the walls of the blood vessels,
especially arteries, usually measured by means of a sphygmomanometer
and expressed in millimeters of mercury.
Cardiology The study of the heart and its action and diseases.
Diastole The stage of the heart cycle in which the heart muscle is relaxed, allowing
the chambers to fill with blood.
Diastolic Pressure Blood pressure that remains between heart contractions.
Electrocardiogram
(EKG)
A measurement of heart electrical activity.
Heart Rate A measure of cardiac activity usually expressed as the number of beats
per minute.
Hypertension An abnormally high blood pressure.
Pacemaker An electrical device for stimulating or steadying the heartbeat or
reestablishing the rhythm of an arrested heart.
Pulse The rhythmic expansion and recoil of arteries resulting from heart
contraction; can be felt from the outside of the body.
Sinoatrial Node A small mass of tissue that is made up of Purkinje fibers, ganglion cells,
and nerve fibers, that is embedded in the musculature of the right atrium,
and that originates the impulses stimulating the heartbeat -- called also S-
A node, sinus node.
Sphygmomanometer An instrument for measuring blood pressure and especially arterial blood
pressure.
Systole The stage of the heart cycle in which the heart muscle contracts and the
chambers pump blood.
Systolic Pressure The pressure generated by the left ventricle during systole.
Allele Alternative versions of a gene that produce distinguishable phenotypic
effects.
Atherosclerosis Changes in the walls of large arteries consisting of lipid deposits on the
artery walls.
Cholesterol A lipid that forms an essential component of animal cell membranes and
acts as a precursor molecule for the synthesis of other biologically
important steroids.
Electrophoresis The movement of suspended particles through a fluid or gel under the
action of an electromotive force applied to electrodes in contact with
the suspension.
Familial
Hypercholesterolemia
A metabolic disorder that is caused by defective or absent receptors for
LDLs on cell surfaces, that is marked by an increase in blood plasma LDLs
and by an accumulation of LDLs in the body resulting in an increased risk
of heart attack and coronary heart disease, and that is inherited as an
autosomal dominant trait.
Genotype All or part of the genetic constitution of an individual or group.
HDL (High Density A cholesterol-carrying particle in the blood, made up of cholesterol and
other lipids surrounded by a single layer of phospholipids in which
Lipoprotein) proteins are embedded. An HDL particle carries less cholesterol than a
related lipoprotein, LDL, and may be correlated with a decreased risk of
blood vessel blockage.
Heterozygous Having two different alleles for a given gene.
Homozygous Having two identical alleles for a given gene.
LDL (Low Density
Lipoprotein)
A cholesterol-carrying particle in the blood, made up of cholesterol and
other lipids surrounded by a single layer of phospholipids in which
proteins are embedded. An LDL particle carries more cholesterol than a
related lipoprotein, HDL, and high LDL levels in the blood correlate with
a tendency to develop blocked blood vessels and heart disease.
Mutation A rare change in the DNA of a gene, ultimately creating genetic diversity.
PCR
(Polymerase Chain
Reaction)
A laboratory technique for amplifying DNA in vitro by incubating with
special primers, DNA polymerase molecules, and nucleotides.
Phenotype The physical and physiological traits of an organism that are determined
by its genetic makeup.
Restriction Enzyme A degradative enzyme that recognizes specific nucleotide sequences and
cuts up DNA.
Angiogram The radiographic visualization of blood vessels after the injection of
radiopaque substance.
Angioplasty Surgical repair or recanalization of a blood vessel.
Coronary Bypass A surgical bypass operation performed to shunt blood around an obstruction
in a coronary artery that involves grafting one end of a segment of vein
removed from another part of the body into the aorta and the other end into
the coronary artery beyond the obstructed area to allow for increased blood
flow.
Heart Attack An acute episode of heart disease marked by death or damage of heart
muscle due to insufficient blood supply to the heart muscle usually as a result
of coronary thrombosis or a coronary occlusion and that is characterized
especially by chest pain.
Heart Disease An abnormal organic condition of the heart or of circulation.
Metabolic
Syndrome
A syndrome marked by the presence of usually three or more of a group of
factors (as high blood pressure, abdominal obesity, high triglyceride levels,
low HDL levels, and high fasting levels of blood sugar) that are linked to
increased risk of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes.
Risk Factor Something which increases risk or susceptibility.
Stenting A surgical procedure or operation for inserting a stent, a mold to keep a
passageway open, into an anatomical vessel.
Stroke Sudden loss of consciousness, sensation, and voluntary motion caused by
rupture or obstruction (as by a clot) of a blood vessel of the brain.
Antibody An antigen-binding immunoglobulin, produced by B cells, that functions as
the effector in an immune response.
Aseptic Technique A procedure performed under sterile conditions.
Bacillus A cylindrical or rod-shaped bacterium.
Bacteria Single-celled microorganisms that are often aggregated into colonies or
motile by means of flagella, typically live in soil, water, organic matter, or the
bodies of plants and animals, are usually autotrophic, saprophytic, or
parasitic in nutrition, and are noted for their biochemical effects and
pathogenicity.
B Lymphocyte (B
Cell)
A type of lymphocyte that develops in the bone marrow and later produces
antibodies.
Coccus A spherical bacterium.
Contagious Communicable by contact.
Fungus Saprophytic and parasitic spore-producing eukaryotic organisms that lack
chlorophyll and include molds, rusts, mildews, smuts, mushrooms, and
yeasts.
Gram Stain A method for the differential staining of bacteria that involves fixing the
bacterial cells to a slide and staining with crystal violet and iodine, then
washing with alcohol, and counterstaining with safranin. Results in gram-
positive bacteria retaining the purple dye and gram-negative organisms
having it decolorized so that the red counterstain shows up.
Helminth A parasitic worm (as a tapeworm, liver fluke, ascarid, or leech).
Immunity A condition of being able to resist a particular disease, especially through
preventing development of a pathogenic microorganism or by counteracting
the effects of its products.
Infection The state produced by the establishment of an infective agent in or on a
suitable host.
Microbiology A branch of biology dealing especially with microscopic forms of life (as
bacteria, protozoans, viruses, and fungi).
Phagocyte A cell (as a white blood cell) that engulfs and consumes foreign material (as
microorganisms) and debris.
Prion Any of various infectious proteins that are abnormal forms of normal cellular
proteins, that proliferate by inducing the normal protein to convert to the
abnormal form, and that in mammals include pathogenic forms.
Protozoan Any protist of the phylum or subkingdom Protozoa.
Spirillum A spiral-shaped bacterium.
T Lymphocyte (T
Cells)
A type of lymphocyte responsible for cell-mediated immunity that
differentiates under the influence of the thymus.
Transmission The way a microbial organism moves from one host to another.
Virus Any of a large group of submicroscopic infective agents that typically contain
a protein coat surrounding an RNA or DNA core of genetic material but no
semipermeable membrane, that are capable of growth and multiplication
only in living cells, and that cause various important diseases in humans,
animals, or plants.
Cardiovascular
System
The transport system of the body responsible for carrying oxygen and
nutrients to the body and carrying away carbon dioxide and other wastes;
composed of the heart, blood vessels, and blood.
Digestive System The group of organs that break down foods into chemical components that
the body can absorb and use for energy and for building and repairing cells
and tissues.
Nervous System The bodily system that in vertebrates is made up of the brain and spinal cord,
nerves, ganglia, and parts of the receptor organs and that receives and
interprets stimuli and transmits impulses to the effector organs.
Organ Collection of tissues which performs a particular function or set of functions
in an animal's body. The heart, brain, and skin are three organs found in most
animals. Organs are composed of tissues and may be organized into larger
organ systems.
Respiratory
System
A system of organs, functioning in the process of gas exchange between the
body and the environment, consisting especially of the nose, nasal passages,
nasopharynx, larynx, trachea, bronchi, and lungs.
System A collection of components organized to accomplish a specific function or set
of functions.