Visualizing Human Biology

Visualizing Human Biology is a visual exploration of the major concepts of biology using the human body as the context. Students are engaged in scientific exploration and critical thinking in this product specially designed for non-science majors. Topics covered include an overview of human anatomy and physiology, nutrition, immunity and disease, cancer biology, and genetics. The aim of Visualizing Human Biology is a greater understanding, appreciation and working knowledge of biology as well as an enhanced ability to make healthy choices and informed healthcare decisions.

Kathleen A. Ireland obtained her B.S. from the University of Alabama while gaining experience working both for a major pharmaceutical company and for a Marine Sciences Foundation in Florida. She continued her education at the University of Alabama, earning an M.S. in Marine Sciences in 1981. After a few years working for an agricultural genetics corporation and giving birth to two sons, Kathleen returned to school, earning a Ph.D. from Iowa State University while teaching their Human Biology course. She later moved to Maui where she currently resides while teaching human biology for the University of Hawaii, Maui Community College. Kathleen is a member of a number of academic organizations, including the AACE, where she serves on their editorial board. She has been a contributing author on both anatomy and anatomy and physiology premedical textbooks and several grants including a multi-year HAIS / HCF grant to enhance the school-wide teaching of 21^st-century skills.

1 What is Life? 1

1.1 Living Organisms Display Nine Specific Characteristics 2

1.2 Human Biology is Structured and Logical 4

1.3 Scientists Approach Questions Using the Scientific Method 9

1.4 Scientific Findings Often Lead to Ethical Dilemmas 13

2 Where Do We Come from and Where Do We Fit? 16

2.1 What are the Origins of Modern Humans? 17

2.2 What Does the Human Body Have in Common with the World Around It? 23

2.3 We Reflect Our Environment: We Have a Habitat and a Niche 29

3 Everyday Chemistry of Life 33

3.1 Life Has a Unique Chemistry 34

3.2 Water is Life’s Essential Chemical 41

3.3 Carbohydrates, Lipids, and Proteins Provide Form and Function 43

3.4 Nucleic Acids Carry Information and Direct Protein Formation 50

4 Cells: Organization and Communication 57

4.1 The Cell is Highly Organized and Dynamic 58

4.2 The Cell Membrane Delineates the Cell 60

4.3 The Components of a Cell are Called Organelles 65

4.4 Cell Communication is Important to Cellular Success 73

5 Tissues 77

5.1 Some Tissues Provide Covering, Protection, and Support 78

5.2 Other Tissues Provide Movement, Heat, and Integration 84

5.3 Organization Increases with Organs, Organ Systems, and the Organism 88

5.4 Scientists Use a Road Map to the Human Body 92

6 The Skeletomuscular System 97

6.1 The Skeletomuscular System is Multifunctional and Dynamic 98

6.2 Bone is Strong and Light Tissue 100

6.3 The Skeleton Holds It All Together 105

6.4 Skeletal Muscles Exercise Power 114

6.5 Whole-Muscle Contractions Require Energy 120

7 The Nervous System 127

7.1 The Nervous System is Categorized by Structure and Function 128

7.2 Neurons Work Through Action Potentials 132

7.3 The Meninges Protect the Brain’s Delicate Structures 139

7.4 The Functions of the Brain and Spinal Cord are Related 145

7.5 The Peripheral Nervous System Extends the Central Nervous System 150

8 The Special Senses 156

8.1 The Special Senses Tell Us about Our Environment 157

8.2 Vision is Our Most Acute Sense 163

8.3 The Special Senses are Our Connection to the Outside World 169

9 Immunity and the Lymphatic System 173

9.1 How Do We Adapt to Stress? 174

9.2 Skin and Mucous Membranes are the First Line of Defense 177

9.3 We Have a Second Line of Innate Defense 182

9.4 The Lymphatic System Comprises Our Third Line of Defense 184

9.5 Specific Immunity Targets Pathogens 189

9.6 Immunity Can Be Acquired Actively or Passively 195

10 Infectious Disease and Epidemiology 200

10.1 The Study of Epidemics is Global in Scope 201

10.2 Bacteria are Single-Celled Wonders That Can Cause Disease 205

10.3 Viruses Can Reproduce and Kill, but They are Not Alive 211

10.4 AIDS and HIV Attack the Immune System 217

10.5 Other Pathogens Carry Other Dangers 222

11 The Human Microbiome 226

11.1 What is the Human Microbiome? 227

11.2 Our Microbiome Helps Maintain Homeostasis 233

11.3 The Microbiome in Diagnoses and Treatments 238

12 Cancer 245

12.1 Cancer Cells Develop in Distinct Ways 246

12.2 Cancer Has Many Causes 251

12.3 Cancer Can Strike Almost Any Part of the Body 256

12.4 Cancer Can Be Diagnosed and Treated Effectively 261

13 The Cardiovascular System 268

13.1 The Heart Ensures Continual, 24/7 Nutrient Delivery 269

13.2 Blood Transport Involves Miles of Sophisticated Plumbing 278

13.3 Cardiovascular Disorders Have Life-Threatening Consequences 281

13.4 Blood Consists of Plasma and Formed Elements 285

13.5 Red Blood Cells and Platelets Help Maintain Homeostasis 290

14 The Respiratory System: Movement of Air 297

14.1 The Respiratory System Has an Upper and Lower Tract 298

14.2 The Lower Respiratory Tract Exchanges Gases 302

14.3 Air is Moved Into and Out of the Respiratory System 308

14.4 Respiration Relies on the Cardiovascular System 311

14.5 Respiratory Health is Critical to Survival 315

15 Nutrition: You are What You Eat 322

15.1 Nutrients are Life Sustaining 323

15.2 Nutrients are Metabolized 332

15.3 Health Can Be Hurt by Nutritional Disorders 336

16 The Digestive System 343

16.1 Digestion Begins in the Oral Cavity 344

16.2 The Stomach Puts Food to the Acid Test 349

16.3 The Intestines and Accessory Organs Finish the Job 352

16.4 Digestion is Both Mechanical and Chemical 360

17 The Urinary System 365

17.1 The Kidneys are the Core of the Urinary System 366

17.2 Urine is Made, Transported, and Stored 369

17.3 The Urinary System Maintains the Body’s Fluid and Solute Balance 375

17.4 Life-Threatening Diseases Affect the Urinary System 378

18 The Endocrine System and Development 383

18.1 Hormones are Chemical Messengers 384

18.2 The Endocrine Glands Secrete Directly into the Bloodstream 388

18.3 Maintaining Homeostasis Requires Glands, Hormones, and Feedback 393

18.4 Development Takes Us from Infancy to Adulthood 401

19 The Reproductive Systems: Maintaining the Species 407

19.1 Survival of the Species Depends on Gamete Formation 408

19.2 The Male Reproductive System Produces, Stores, and Delivers Sperm 410

19.3 The Female Reproductive System Produces and Nourishes Eggs 417

19.4 Human Reproductive Cycles are Controlled by Hormones 422

19.5 There are Many Birth Control Choices 428

19.6 Sexual Contact Carries a Danger: Sexually Transmitted Diseases 435

20 Pregnancy: Development from Conception to Newborn 439

20.1 Days 1 Through 14 Include Fertilization and Implantation 440

20.2 The Embryonic Stage is Marked by Differentiation and Morphogenesis 446

20.3 Fetal Development is a Stage of Rapid Organ Growth 452

20.4 Labor Initiates the End of Pregnancy 457

21 Inheritance, Genetics, and Molecular Biology 464

21.1 Traits are Inherited in Specific Patterns 465

21.2 Modern Genetics Uncovers a Molecular Picture 471

21.3 Genetic Theory is Put to Practical Use 474

21.4 Biotechnology Has Far-Reaching Effects 479

21.5 Biotechnology Assists in Medical and Societal Issues 484

Appendix A Periodic Table A-1

Appendix B Measurements B-1

Glossary GL-1

Index I-1

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