Anatomy: Basic Principles and Body Systems

• The course aims to present basic principles and fundamental concepts of anatomical structures in different body organ systems.
• The organ systems include musculoskeletal, nervous, digestive, cardiovascular, respiratory, renal, reproductive, and endocrine glands.

Assessment & Marks Distribution

• Quiz 1 is worth 5% of the final grade and takes place in week 3.
• The mid-theoretical assessment makes up 20% of the final grade and is in week 7.
• Quiz 2 represents 5% of the final grade and occurs in week 9.
• The worksheet contributes 10% to the final grade and is assessed weekly.
• The final practical is worth 20% of the final grade and takes place in week 16.
• The final theoretical assessment is 40% of the final grade and occurs in week 17.
• The total assessment score is 100%.

Lecture Objectives

• Understanding anatomical terms utilized in describing the human body.
• Understanding body planes and cavities.
• Understanding the structural organization of the body.

Anatomy Overview

• Anatomy is the study of structure.
• The term anatomy comes from Greek, meaning "to cut up" or "to cut open."
• Anatomists study the relationships among body parts and the structure of individual organs.

Types of Anatomical Studies

• Gross anatomy involves structures visible to the naked eye.
• Microscopic anatomy involves structures seen with the aid of a microscope.
• Systemic anatomy studies the body’s organ systems that work together.
• Developmental anatomy examines anatomical changes throughout the life cycle.
• Applied or clinical anatomy studies body structures to understand how they influence performance and susceptibility to disease.
• Surface anatomy looks at the visualization of structures that lie beneath the skin.
• Regional anatomy studies the human body by major parts or segments.
• Comparative anatomy compares human structures to those of other animals.
• Radiological anatomy studies internal structures with the help of radiographs like X-rays, USG, CT scans, or MRI.

Anatomical Position

• This is a standardized method of observing or imaging the body
• Body is upright.
• Standing erect.
• Facing the observer.
• Head and eyes are facing forward.
• Feet are flat on the floor and forward.
• Upper limbs are to the sides.
• Palms are turned forward.

Supine and Prone Positions

• Supine position is when a person is lying on their back with their face up, arms by their sides, palms facing upwards, and feet together.
• Prone position is when a person lies flat with their chest down and back up.

Terms of Relationship and Comparison

• Anterior (Ventral): Towards the front of the body; For example, the sternum lies anterior to the heart.
• Posterior (Dorsal): Towards the back of the body; For example, the esophagus is posterior to the trachea.
• Superior: Describes a position above or higher than another part of the body; For example, the heart lies superior to the diaphragm.
• Inferior: Describes a position below or lower than another part of the body; For example, the mandible (jaw) is inferior to the maxilla.
• (Cephalic/Cranial): Towards the head.
• Caudal: Describes a position near or toward the tail; in humans, this refers to the coccyx (lowest part of the spinal column).
• Medial: Nearer to the median plane of the body; for example, the nose it medial to the eye.
• Lateral: Further away from the median plane of the body; for example, the lungs lie lateral to the heart.
• Proximal: Closer to the structure's origin or nearer to the attachment of a limb; for example, the arm is proximal to the forearm.
• Distal: Further away from the structure's origin or farther from the attachment of a limb; for example, the wrist is distal to the forearm.
• Intermediate: Between two other structures.
• Superficial: Describes a position closer to the surface of the body; for example, the skin is superficial to the bones.
• Deep: Describes a position farther from the surface of the body; for example, the brain is deep to the skull.
• External: Means outside of or farther from the center of an organ or cavity.
• Internal: Means inside or closer to the center, irrespective of direction.
• Dorsum “dorsal surface” refers to the superior aspect of any part that protrudes anteriorly from the body, such as the tongue, nose, penis, or foot, and it describes the posterior surface of the hand.
• Palm "palmar surface" is the anterior surface of the hands.
• Sole "plantar surface" is the inferior aspect or bottom of the foot.

Anatomical Planes

• Median (midsagittal) Plane: A vertical plane passing through the body's center, dividing it into equal right and left halves.
• Sagittal Plane: An imaginary vertical plane parallel to the median plane that divides the body into unequal right and left parts.
• Coronal (Frontal) Planes: Divides the body into anterior and posterior parts.
• Horizontal, or Transverse, Planes: Divides the body into superior and inferior parts.

Terms of Laterality

• Bilateral: On both sides or having right and left members (e.g., the kidneys).
• Unilateral: On one side only (e.g., the spleen).
• Ipsilateral: Something occurring on the same side of the body (e.g., the right thumb and right big toe).
• Contralateral: Means on the opposite side of the body (e.g., the right hand is contralateral to the left hand).
• Unilateral and bilateral describe a thing in terms of what that thing affects.
• Ipsilateral and contralateral describe two things in terms of their relative positions.

Body Cavities

• Spaces within the body which contain vital organs.
• The two main cavities are:
  • Dorsal cavity: Protects the nervous system and is divided into:
    • Cranial cavity: Within the skull; encases the brain
    • Vertebral cavity: Runs within the vertebral column; encases the spinal cord
  • Ventral cavity: Houses the internal organs (viscera) and is divided into two subdivisions:
    • Thoracic
    • Abdominopelvic

Thoracic Cavity

• Subdivided into two lateral "pleural cavities" that house a lung and pleura.
• One median cavity is the “mediastinum”.
• The mediastinum is found midline of the thoracic cavity, surrounded by left and right pleural sacs.
• The mediastinum divides into superior and inferior sections.

Abdominopelvic Cavity

• A continuous cavity.
• It is separated from the superior thoracic cavity by the dome-shaped thoracic diaphragm.
• It ends inferiorly by the pelvic floor "pelvic diaphragm".
• It includes:
  • Abdominal cavity: Contains the stomach, intestines, spleen, liver, and other organs.
  • Pelvic cavity: lies within the pelvis and contains the bladder, reproductive organs, and rectum.

Serous Cavities

• Serous Membrane: Covers walls and organs in the thoracic and abdominopelvic cavities.
• Parietal Layer: Lines the walls of the body cavity
• Visceral layer: Covers the organs (the viscera).
• Serous Space/Fluid: Between the parietal and visceral layers.
• There are 3 major serous membranes:
  • Pleura: Serous membrane that surrounds the lungs, one for each lung.
  • Pericardium: Serous membrane that surrounds the heart.
  • Peritoneum: Serous membrane that surrounds several organs in the abdominopelvic cavity.

Other Body Cavities

• Oral cavity: Mouth cavity of the digestive system.
• Nasal cavity: Cavity inside the nose.
• Orbital cavity: Cavity of and houses the eyes.
• Middle ear cavity: Contains bones (ossicles) that transmit sound vibrations.
• Pericardial cavity: Encloses the heart and the pericardium.
• Synovial cavity: Joint cavities.

Explores anatomical structures across organ systems: musculoskeletal, nervous, digestive, cardiovascular, and more. Includes assessments like quizzes, midterms, worksheets and practical exams. Covers anatomical terms, body planes, and structural organization.