Basicmedical Key

Reproductive system The reproductive system must function properly to ensure survival of the species. The male reproductive system produces sperm and delivers them to the female reproductive tract. The female…

Immune System The immune system is responsible for safe-guarding the body from disease-causing microorganisms. It’s part of a complex system of host defenses. Host defenses may be innate or acquired….

Hematologic System Blood, although a fluid, is one of the body’s major tissues. It continuously circulates through the heart and blood vessels, carrying vital elements to every part of the…

Cancer Cancer, also called malignant neoplasia, refers to a group of more than 100 different diseases that are characterized by deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) damage that causes abnormal cell growth and…

Infection The 20th century encompassed astonishing advances in treating and preventing infection, such as potent antibiotics, complex immunizations, and modern sanitation, yet infection remains the most common cause of human…

Fluids and Electrolytes The body is mostly liquid — various electrolytes dissolved in water. Electrolytes are ions (electrically charged versions) of essential elements — predominantly sodium (Na+), chloride (Cl−), hydrogen…

Fundamentals of Pathophysiology An understanding of pathophysiology requires a review of normal physiology—how the body functions day to day, minute to minute—at the levels of cells, tissues, and organs, and…