Anatomy & Physiology - Complete Interactive Lesson
Part 1: Musculoskeletal System
🏥 Anatomy Physiology
Part 1 of 7 — Musculoskeletal System
Skeletal muscle: voluntary, striated, multinucleated; Smooth muscle: involuntary, non-striated; Cardiac: involuntary, striated, intercalated discs.
Sarcomere: functional unit of muscle; actin (thin) + myosin (thick); sliding filament theory.
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Key Insight: Muscle contraction: Ca2+ released from SR, binds troponin, exposes binding sites, myosin pulls actin.
MCAT Tip: Bone: osteoblasts build, osteoclasts break down; regulated by PTH (resorption) and calcitonin (deposition).
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Part 2: Reproductive System
Reproductive System
Part 2 of 7 — Reproductive System
Male: testes produce sperm + testosterone; pathway: seminiferous tubules, epididymis, vas deferens.
Female: ovaries produce eggs + estrogen/progesterone; follicle matures, ovulation, corpus luteum.
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Key Insight: Menstrual cycle: follicular phase (FSH, estrogen), ovulation (LH surge), luteal phase (progesterone).
MCAT Tip: Fertilization: sperm capacitation, acrosome reaction, cortical reaction prevents polyspermy.
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Part 3: Integumentary System
Integumentary System
Part 3 of 7 — Integumentary System
Skin layers: epidermis (keratinocytes, melanocytes), dermis (connective tissue), hypodermis (fat).
Functions: protection, thermoregulation, sensation, vitamin D synthesis, immune defense.
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Key Insight: Thermoregulation: vasodilation/vasoconstriction, sweating, shivering.
MCAT Tip: Wound healing: hemostasis, inflammation, proliferation, remodeling.
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Part 4: Lymphatic & Immune
Lymphatic & Immune
Part 4 of 7 — Lymphatic & Immune
Lymphatic system: returns interstitial fluid to blood; lymph nodes filter pathogens.
Spleen: filters blood, recycles old RBCs, reservoir of monocytes and platelets.
Concept Check 🎯
Key Insight: Thymus: T cell maturation; Bone marrow: B cell maturation.
MCAT Tip: Vaccines: expose immune system to antigen, generating memory cells without disease.
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Part 5: Sensory Systems
Sensory Systems
Part 5 of 7 — Sensory Systems
Vision: cornea + lens focus light on retina; rods (dim light) and cones (color).
Hearing: sound waves vibrate tympanic membrane, ossicles amplify, cochlea transduces.
Concept Check 🎯
Key Insight: Vestibular system: semicircular canals detect rotational acceleration; otolith organs detect linear.
MCAT Tip: Taste and smell: chemoreceptors; Somatosensory: mechanoreceptors, thermoreceptors, nociceptors.
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Part 6: Embryology & Development
Embryology & Development
Part 6 of 7 — Embryology & Development
Cleavage: rapid mitotic divisions of zygote; morula, then blastocyst (inner cell mass + trophoblast).
Gastrulation: three germ layers form — ectoderm (skin, nervous system), mesoderm (muscle, bone, blood), endoderm (GI, lungs, liver).
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Key Insight: Neurulation: ectoderm folds to form neural tube (becomes CNS).
MCAT Tip: Organogenesis: germ layers differentiate into organs; teratogens can disrupt development.
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Part 7: Review & MCAT Practice
Review & MCAT Practice
Part 7 of 7 — Review & MCAT Practice
Cleavage: rapid mitotic divisions of zygote; morula, then blastocyst (inner cell mass + trophoblast).
Gastrulation: three germ layers form — ectoderm (skin, nervous system), mesoderm (muscle, bone, blood), endoderm (GI, lungs, liver).
Concept Check 🎯
Key Insight: Neurulation: ectoderm folds to form neural tube (becomes CNS).
MCAT Tip: Organogenesis: germ layers differentiate into organs; teratogens can disrupt development.
Concept Check 🎯
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