588 Introduction to Anatomy and Physiology
facial bones bones of the face
facial nerve one of three cranial nerves that is
responsible for transmitting taste sensations to the brain
false ribs three ribs that attach only by cartilage to the
sternum
fascicle (FAS-i-kuhl) a bundle of muscle fi bers
fast-twitch type of muscle that contracts quickly and
fatigues quickly
fats substances found in foods that include oils and solid
fats; can be classifi ed either as saturated or unsaturated;
lipids
fatty acid a hydrocarbon chain with a carboxylic acid
group at one end
female athlete triad a combination of disordered eating,
amenorrhea, and osteoporosis
femur (FEE-mer) thigh bone
fertilization the formation of a single cell that contains
the genetic material from two gametes, one from each
parent
fetus a developing human from eight weeks after
conception to birth
fever the maintenance of body temperature at a
higher-than-normal level
fi brin a long, thread-like fi ber created by the combination
of thrombin and fi brinogen; weaves around the platelet
plug to form a blood clot
fi brinogen (fi gh-BRIN-oh-jehn) a protein that combines
with the enzyme thrombin to create fi brin
fi brocartilage (FIGH-broh-KAR-ti-lij) type of cartilage
with abundant collagen fi bers
fi bula (FIB-yoo-la) bone of the lower leg; does not bear
weight
fi ltrate a fl uid that has passed through a fi lter; sometimes
used to refer to the fl uid in the renal tubule
fi ltration membrane collective term for the structures
through which water passes as it goes from the
glomerular capillary into the glomerular capsule; includes
capillary endothelial cells, the basement membrane, and
the podocytes of the glomerular capsule
fi mbriae (FIM-bree-igh) fi nger-like projections on the end
of the uterine tube near the ovary
fi rst-degree burns burns that affect only the epidermal
layer of skin
fi rst-degree heart block a heart block in which the
impulse from the SA node is delayed
fi ssures the uniformly positioned, deep grooves in the
brain
fl agellum (fl a-JEHL-um) a tail
fl at bones bones that are largely (but not entirely) fl at,
such as the breast bone, hip bone, skull, and shoulder
blades
fl exion (FLEHK-shun) forward movement of a body
segment away from anatomical position in the
sagittal plane
fl oating ribs the two lowest ribs that do not attach at all
to the sternum
fl ow volume meter a device used for measuring dynamic
lung volumes
foam cells white blood cells, which digest LDL particles,
become engorged with fat, and create a foamy
substance
follicles (FAHL-i-kuhlz) bulb-shaped structures within the
dermis that produce hair
follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) a tropic hormone
secreted by the anterior pituitary gland that stimulates
the production of eggs in women and sperm in men
follicular phase (fah-LIK-yoo-lar) the phase of the
menstrual cycle, lasting from day 1 to day 14, during
which the ovarian follicles mature; proliferative phase
fontanel (FAHN-ta-NEHL) openings in the infant skull
through which the baby’s pulse can be felt; these
openings enable compression of the skull during birth
and brain growth during late pregnancy and early infancy
foramen ovale (foh-RA-men oh-VA-lee) opening in the
septal wall between the atria that is normally present
only in the fetus
force push or pull acting on a structure
forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV1) the
amount of air that a person can expire in one second
forced expiratory volume in one second/forced vital
capacity (FEV1/FVC) the overall expiratory power of
the lungs
formed elements the solid components of blood;
red blood cells, white blood cells, and platelets
fracture any break or disruption of continuity in a bone
frontal bone the bone that forms the forehead
frontal lobes sections of the brain located behind the
forehead
frontal plane an invisible, vertical, fl at surface that divides
the body into front and back halves
frontal plane movements sideways motions of the body
or body segments
frontal sinuses two air-fi lled cavities lined with mucous
membrane, each of which lies within the frontal bone
above one of the orbits
full-thickness burns see third-degree burns
functional layer the layer of the endometrium that is
shed during menstruation
functional residual capacity (FRC) the amount of
air that remains in the lungs after a normal expiration;
ERV + RV
G
gallbladder the digestive organ that stores bile and
delivers it to the duodenum when needed
gallstones solid crystals that form from substances in the
bile of the gallbladder
gametes (GAM-eets) mature haploid male or female cells
that unite with cells of the opposite sex to form a zygote;
eggs and sperm
gamma interferons (IN-ter-FAIR-ahns) interferons
produced by natural killer cells and T lymphocytes that
have been activated by detection of foreign materials
ganglion (GAYNG-glee-ahn) a mass of nervous tissue
composed mostly of nerve-cell bodies
gap junctions synapses where cell communication
occurs through direct transfer of electrical charges
gas exchange the process by which oxygen is supplied
to the body while carbon dioxide is also eliminated from
the body
gastric glands glands in the stomach wall that secrete
gastric juice, hormones, and mucus
gastric juice digestive fl uid secreted in the stomach
gastric pits tiny openings in the lining of the stomach that
each lead to a gastric gland
gastrin (GAS-trin) hormone that regulates digestion;
secreted by enteroendocrine cells
gastroenteritis (GAS-troh-ehn-ter-IGH-tis) an
infl ammation of the stomach or intestine that produces
some combination of nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and
abdominal pain