SomeFacts | Human Body – Glossary

Human Body - Glossary

Vertebrae
The separate bones which make up your spine, or backbone.

Ventricles
The two lower chambers of your heart.

Taste buds
Cells in tiny pits in your tongue, which detect flavours in food.

Sebum
A natural oil made in your skin. It keeps skin supple and waterproof.

Rods
Light-sensitive cells in your eyes, which detect black and white.

Respiration
The process by which your cells use oxygen to release energy. The ...

Puberty
The start of the time when you change from a child into an adult.

Nutrients
Substances in food which your body needs to function.

Neurones
Another name for nerve cells.

Mucus
A slimy substance which helps to protect the lining of your nose, ...

Melanin
Dark pigment which gives hair, skin and eyes some of their colour.

Marrow
A jelly-like substance inside some of your bones. It makes new red ...

Lymph
A clear fluid which travels around your body and carries white blood ...

Haemoglobin
The substance in your blood which makes it look red and carries ...

Germs
Tiny living things which cause illnesses, called infections.

Genes
The instructions in your cells which determine your features. They ...

Follicles
Tiny pits, or holes, in your skin, from which hairs grow.

Fertilization
The joining of a male sperm and a female egg to make a baby.

Epidermis
The upper layer of your skin, above the dermis.

Digestion
The breaking down of food into tiny particles which can be absorbed ...

Diaphragm
The sheet of muscle under your lungs, used in breathing.

Dermis
The lower layer of your skin, below your epidermis.

Cranium
The top part of your skull, which helps protect your brain.

Cones
Light-sensitive cells in your eyes, which detect colours.

Chromosomes
Thread-like structures in your cells, which carry your genes.

Cerebral cortex
The largest part of your brain. It is divided into two halves, called ...

Cells
The tiny units which make up all the parts of your body.

Cartilage
Smooth, elastic, gristly tissue. One of its jobs is to cushion the ...

Blood vessels
The arteries, veins and capillaries which carry blood around your ...

Atria
The two upper chambers of your heart. Also called auricles.